Hepatic Shunting of Eggs and Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in <i>Bmpr2</i> ^<i>+/−</i> Mice with Schistosomiasis

Abstract

This study has shown that levels of BMPR-II expression modify the pulmonary vascular response to chronic schistosomiasis. The likely mechanism involves the increased passage of eggs to the lungs, caused by altered diameter of the hepatic veins and sinusoids in Bmpr2(+/-) mice. Genetically determined differences in the remodeling of hepatic vessels may represent a new risk factor for PAH associated with schistosomiasis.