Inhibiting lung elastase activity enables lung growth in mechanically ventilated newborn mice.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Mechanical ventilation with O₂-rich gas (MV-O₂) offers life-saving treatment for respiratory failure, but also promotes lung injury. We previously reported that MV-O2 of newborn mice increased lung elastase activity, causing elastin degradation and redistribution of elastic fibers from septal tips to alveolar walls. These changes were associated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β activation and increased apoptosis leading to defective alveolarization and lung growth arrest, as seen in neonatal chronic lung disease.

Objectives

To determine if intratracheal treatment of newborn mice with the serine elastase inhibitor elafin would prevent MV-O₂-induced lung elastin degradation and the ensuing cascade of events causing lung growth arrest.

Methods

Five-day-o

SUBMITTER: Hilgendorff A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3175547 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature