[Prophylactic effect of retinoic acid on chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect and molecular mechanism of retinoic acid (RA) in preventing experimental pulmonary emphysema in rats.


METHODS
Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, the normal group(A), the model group (B) and the RA treated group (C). Rats in group B group were exposed to cigarette smoke, and group C was treated with RA. Pulmonary function indices and histopathological changes were evaluated. The enzymatic activity of gelatinases was measured by ELISA, and the expression of gelatinases and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was examined by immunohistochemical method.


RESULTS
Compared with group A, group B presented significant differences in FEV(0.3),FEV(0.3)/FVC and FRC [(5.1 +/- 0.4) ml vs (6.0 +/- 0.3) ml, (71 +/- 10) ml/s vs (87 +/- 3) ml/s, (7.2 +/- 2.2) ml vs (2.9 +/- 1.1) ml (P < 0.01)];the enzymatic activity [(1.06 +/- 0.23)ng/ml vs (0.53 +/- 0.17)ng/ml, (0.960 +/- 0.230)ng/ml vs (0.300 +/- 0.090)ng/ml] and the expression of gelatinases were also markedly elevated(P < 0.01). In comparison with group B, the pulmonary function indices in group C [(5.2 +/- 0.4)ml, (81 +/- 5) ml/s, (6.1 +/- 2.7)ml/s] were improved (P < 0.05); the enzymatic activity [(0.83 +/- 0.23)ng/ml, (0.570 +/- 0.010)ng/ml] and the expression of gelatinases were decreased, while the PCNA index staining (93 +/- 4 vs 53 +/- 6) was increased (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
RA can prevent the development of pulmonary emphysema in rats.
Beijing Chaoyang Hospital  Beijing Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100020, China.
Li
L
An
Hongyu
H
Zhang
Baosen
B
Pang
Shujie
S
Niu
Li
L
Ma
Ping
P
Xin
Xinzhi
X
Wng
D000818:Animals; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D014212:Tretinoin; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9