Chronic Airway Fibrosis in Orthotopic Mouse Lung Transplantation Models - An Experimental Reappraisal.

Background: Several mouse lung transplantation (Tx) models have been proposed for the study of chronic airway fibrosis (CAF), the most prevalent complication seen in human lung transplant recipients, termed chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Alternatively, it has been called for to establish an experimental animal model for restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS), another phenotype of CLAD. However, these mouse transplant models exhibit significant heterogeneity in consistency and reproducibility. We therefore aimed at reevaluating current available models. Methods: 4 different Tx combinations were employed that manifest CAF: 2 minor antigen-mismatched Tx combinations (MINOR, donor: C57BL/10, recipient: C57BL/6J); or MINOR-N using recipient C57BL/6N, major histocompatibility antigen-mismatched immunosuppressed Tx (MAJOR, donor: BALB/c, recipient: C57BL/6J) and syngeneic Tx (SYN, donor and recipient: C57BL/6J) as control. The recipients were harvested and analyzed at week 8. Oxygenation, histology, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and magnetic resonance imaging were performed to analyze outcome of those models. Results: The most prominent manifestation of CAF, thickest subepithelial fibrotic changes, worst oxygenation and the most severe acute rejection were detected in the MAJOR group, compared to all other (p

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