[Animal modeling] - Comparative study on the construction of high altitude pulmonary edema model in SD rats under different hypoxia stress

  Objective To study the effects of different hypoxia stress modes on the establishment of high altitude pulmonary edema model.

  Methods Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (400m above sea level), hypobaric oxygen chamber group (simulated hypoxia stress at 6000m above sea level for 48h) and field hypoxia group (hypoxia stress at 4200m above sea level for 28d); 20 in each group. The effects of different hypoxia stress methods on constructing SD rat models of high altitude pulmonary edema were compared by detecting the dry wet ratio, morphological and pathophysiological characteristics, the expression of key genes aquaporin-1 (AQP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the level of oxidative stress in the lung tissue of experimental rats.

  Results Compared with the control group, the pulmonary artery pressure and lung tissue water content of rats in the hypobaric oxygen chamber group and the field hypoxia group were significantly increased (both P<0.01), while the oxygen partial pressure and oxygen saturation were significantly decreased (both P<0.01). The morphology of lung tissue in the control group was normal under light and electron microscopes; In both hypobaric oxygen chamber group and field hypoxia group, alveolar walls and alveolar septa were obviously widened under light microscope, a large number of red cells and inflammatory cells overflowed, and there was obvious edema in alveolar septa. The levels of AQP-1 mRNA and protein in the lung tissues of the rats in the two experimental groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.01), and the levels of VEGF mRNA and protein were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P<0.01), and the levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the serum were significantly lower, and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly higher.

  Conclusion Hypobaric oxygen chamber can simulate hypoxia stress at an altitude of 6000m for 48h, and hypoxia stress at an altitude of 4200m for 28d, which can effectively construct the model of SD rats with high altitude pulmonary edema; Among them, the use of hypobaric oxygen chamber to build SD rat model of high altitude pulmonary edema is relatively more dominant.