Abstract
Background: BPD is a common complication of preterm birth. Animal models, such as the preterm piglet, remain imperative to study local tissue changes, but little is known about their lung development beyond the first 48 hours of life. However, this wider time frame is crucial when studying BPD pathophysiology.
Aim: To determine whether lung changes comparable to human BPD occur in preterm piglets of different ages.
Methods: Preterm piglets were surgically delivered at 90% gestation and compared to term newborn SGA piglets (n=7). Preterm animals were euthanized at 4 (pD4; n=14) and 5 days (pD5; n=46) postnatally. After perfusion with saline, the left lung was fixed and stained for histological assessment and the right lung was sampled for qPCR. KW and appropriate posthoc tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results: pD4 and pD5 piglets showed less advanced alveolarization and septation and a thicker and more cellular interstitium than term piglets. TNFα levels were higher in both preterm groups combined than in the term controls. IL6 was higher in control and pD4 piglets compared to pD5 piglets; while IL1β was different between pD4 and pD5. IL10 was upregulated in the pD5 piglets compared to pD4 piglets and controls.
Conclusion: Our results show evolution in inflammatory cytokine levels, as in human preterm infants. Despite variation, less advanced alveolarization and septation in preterm piglets was evidently present.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 2816.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020