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Elastase-Induced Lung Emphysema Models in Mice

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Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1639))

Abstract

Pulmonary emphysema is one of the distinct pathological forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that is accompanied by gradual elimination of alveolar tissue, causing reductions in lung recoil and leading to difficulty in breathing. As there is no cure for emphysema, animal models are often used to better understand the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. One widely used animal model of emphysema is the elastase treatment. In this chapter, we describe two methods of elastase-induced emphysema in mice. The first is a single-dose treatment, whereby elastase is introduced oropharengeally into the lung and the structure and/or function of the lungs are studied between 2 days and 4 weeks following the treatment. The second method consists of exposing mice repeatedly (four times) to elastase intratracheally and observing the effects of the treatment 1–4 weeks following the last administration of the enzyme. Both protocols are described in detail, and examples of lung structure and function of the emphysematous mouse lung are provided.

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Acknowledgment

B. Suki and E. Bartolák-Suki were supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant HL-111745. P. Rocco was supported by the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Carlos Chagas Filho Rio de Janeiro State Research Foundation (FAPERJ), and the Department of Science and Technology, Brazilian Ministry of Health (DECIT/MS). P. Rocco would like to express her gratitude to Dr. Milena Vasconcellos for help with microscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Béla Suki & Erzsébet Bartolák-Suki

  2. Laboratory of Pulmonary Investigation, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Patricia R. M. Rocco

Authors
  1. Béla Suki
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  2. Erzsébet Bartolák-Suki
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  3. Patricia R. M. Rocco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Béla Suki .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Florie Borel

  2. Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Christian Mueller

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Suki, B., Bartolák-Suki, E., Rocco, P.R.M. (2017). Elastase-Induced Lung Emphysema Models in Mice. In: Borel, F., Mueller, C. (eds) Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency . Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1639. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7163-3_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7163-3_7

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7161-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7163-3

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