Inflammatory and immune responses in a rat model of intermittent hypoxia-emphysema

HAN Shuangyu; LI Caili; FENG Jing; WANG Yubao

doi:10.11958/59031

Abstract：Objective To develop an"overlap syndrome (OS)"rat model by intermittent hypoxia (IH) exposure on the base of pre-existing emphysema, and to explore its characters of severe systemic inflammation and immune responses. Methods Sixty Wistar rats were put into four groups:control group, IH group, emphysema group and overlap (emphysema+IH) group. The peripheral blood samples were collected for detecting apoptosis of CD3+CD4+,CD3+CD8+T lymphocytes and neutrophils (PMN). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-αand interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated by ELISA. The bronchoalveolar la-vage fluid (BALF) was taken to calculate the ratio of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes under light microscope. Tis-sue blocks of lung, liver, pancreas, and right carotid artery were taken for pathologic scoring. Results The apoptotic rates of PMN and CD3 +CD8 +T cells were significantly lower in overlap group than those of other three groups (P<0.05). Pro-in-flammatory factor IL-6, TNF-αand peripheral blood CD3 +CD4 +T cell apoptosis were the highest in overlap group com-pared to those of other three groups (P<0.05). The ratio of PMN and macrophages in BALF were significantly higher in em-physema group than those of other three groups (P<0.05) and the pathology scores of lung, liver, pancreas, the ratio of carot-id artery intima-media thickness of whole thickness of vascular were significantly higher in overlap group than those of other three groups (P < 0.05).Conclusion In rat model of intermittent hypoxia-emphysema there are more serious systemic multi-organ inflammation and immune responses.