[Experimental pulmonary emphysema in rats. Inflammatory phenomena and progression of lung damage].
BACKGROUND
Although the hamster model of elastase induced emphysema is well characterized, the rat model has received less attention.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a single intratracheal elastase dose on lung pathological changes of Sprague-Dawley rats.


METHODS
Rats were injected with a single intratracheal elastase dose of 28 U/100 g body weight or saline and studied 7, 15, 30 and 365 days after injection.


RESULTS
Forty percent of rats died in the first 48 hours after injection, six were sacrificed at 7 days, 6 at 15 days, 7 at 30 days and 12 at 365 days. Progressive centroacinar emphysema was found from day 7 after elastase, with a persistent inflammatory reaction in the vicinity of emphysematous areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Present findings differ from the panacinar emphysema described in the hamster using a similar elastase dose.
Borzone
G
G
Depto. Enfermedades Respiratorias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. gborzone@med.puc.cl
Ramírez
B
B
Reyes
T
T
Moreno
R
R
Lisboa
C
C
González
S
S
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D010196:Pancreatic Elastase