title: The preterm rat: a model for studies of acute and chronic neonatal lung disease.
abstract: A preterm rat model has been developed for studies of acute and chronic neonatal lung disease. Premature delivery 24 h before the normal time of delivery is associated with immature pulmonary phospholipid and antioxidant enzyme profiles. The premature lung is more fragile and ruptures at a lower lung vol (172 +/- 8 microL) than the full-term fetal lung (259 +/- 14 microL). Only 7% of premature lungs will float in liquid, after inflation to 85% of the rupture vol, compared with 87% of term fetal lungs. This lung immaturity was reflected in a survival rate of only 6% by 36 h after delivery if the preterm pups were placed in air, which increased to 47% when they were placed in greater than 95% oxygen. Though greater than 95% oxygen enhanced survival of preterm pups during the 1st wk of life, these survivors had a 50% mortality during the 2nd wk of exposure to greater than 95% oxygen. The preterm pup will tolerate intraperitoneal injection of antioxidant enzymes entrapped in liposomes and has a better retention of these liposomes in the lung compared with the term pup. We conclude that the preterm rat is a suitable model for studies of acute and chronic neonatal lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tanswell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Possmayer
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010100:Oxygen