Objective To explore the effects of rosiglitazone hydrochloride on vascular remodeling and IL-8 in rat models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

Methods Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomized to three groups: non-treatment group (group A), treatment group (group B), and blank group (group C). Rat model of COPD was established in groups A and B by using smoking, hypoxia and intratracheal lipopolysaccharide. The rats in group B were treated with rosiglitazone from week 3, and those in group C were given identical dose of normal saline.

Results The vascular wall pathology showed that the vascular wall remodeling, collagen deposition, and perivascular neutrophils infiltration in group B were alleviated than in group A, but more serious than in group C. The ratio of pulmonary vascular wall/total vascular area in group A were higher than that in groups C and B (P < 0.01). The level of IL-8 in group A were higher than in groups C and B (P < 0.01). PPARγ mRNA in lung tissue increased in order of groups A, B, and C (P < 0.01). Pearson analysis showed that in group B, the levels of PPARγ mRNA were negatively correlated with the ratio of pulmonary vascular wall/total vascular area and the level of IL-8 (r=-0.662 and -0.615, P < 0.05).

Conclusions Rosigltazone inhibits the remodeling of the pulmonary vascular wall in COPD rats by upregulating transcription of PPARγ and inhibiting the increase of IL-8 and the infiltration of neutrophils around the vascular wall.