Forced expiration measurements in mouse models of obstructive and restrictive lung diseases

摘要

Pulmonary function measurements are important when studying respiratory diseasemodels. Both resistance and compliance have been used to assess lung function inmice. Yet, it is not always clear how these parameters relate to forced expiration (FE)-related parameters, most commonly used in humans. We aimed to characterize FEmeasurements in four well-established mouse models of lung diseases.Detailed respiratory mechanics and FE measurements were assessed concurrently inBalb/c mice, using the forced oscillation and negative pressure-driven forced expirationtechniques, respectively. Measurements were performed at baseline and followingincreasing methacholine challenges in control Balb/c mice as well as in four diseasemodels: bleomycin-induced fibrosis, elastase-induced emphysema, LPS-induced acutelung injury and house dust mite-induced asthma. Respiratory mechanics parameters(airway resistance, tissue damping and tissue elastance) confirmed disease-specificphenotypes either at baseline or following methacholine challenge. Similarly, lungfunction defects could be detected in each disease model by at least one FE-relatedparameter (FEV0.1, FEF0.1, FVC, FEV0.1/FVC ratio and PEF) at baseline or duringthe methacholine provocation assay.FE-derived outcomes in four mouse disease models behaved similarly to changesfound in human spirometry. Routine combined lung function assessments couldincrease the translational utility of mouse models.