X-ray based lung function measurement reveals persistent loss of lung tissue elasticity in mice recovered from allergic airway inflammation

Chronic asthma patients experience difficulties even years after the inciting allergen. Although studies in small animal asthma models have enormously advanced progress in uncovering the mechanisms of inception and development of the disease, little is known about the processes involved in the persistence of asthma symptoms in the absence of allergen exposure. Long term asthma mouse models have so far been scarce or not been able to reproduce the findings in patients. Here we used a common ovalbumin induced acute allergic airway inflammation mouse model to study lung function and remodeling after a four months recovery period. We show by x-ray based lung function measurements that the recovered mice continue to show impaired lung function by displaying significant air-trapping compared to controls. High resolution synchrotron phase contrast computed tomography of structural alterations and diaphragm motion analysis suggest that these changes in pulmonary function are due to a pronounced loss in lung elasticity. Histology of lung sections confirmed that this is most likely caused by a decrease in elastic fibers, indicating that remodelling can develop or persist independently of acute inflammation and is closely related to a loss in lung function. Our findings demonstrate that this x-ray based imaging platform has the potential to comprehensively and non-invasively unravel long term effects in preclinical mouse models of AAI and thus benefits our understanding of chronic asthma.

from # All Medicine by Alexandros G. Sfakianakis via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2hsR0pa
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