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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
A Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Failure with a Continuous Infusion of Oleic Acid
Published on: March 8, 2024
A novel and stable "two-hit" acute lung injury model induced by oleic acid in piglets
Xiaofeng Li1, Yinglong Liu, Qiang Wang
1Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Center, Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, PR China. pumcliu@gmail.com
Insights
A novel two-hit method creates a stable oleic acid-induced acute lung injury (ALI) model in piglets. This hemodynamically stable model is crucial for studying pediatric ALI mechanisms and treatments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Animal Models of Disease
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Pediatric acute lung injury (ALI) presents significant mortality and economic burdens.
- Oleic acid (OA) is implicated in ALI pathogenesis, necessitating reliable animal models.
- Existing OA-induced ALI models in piglets suffer from high mortality due to hemodynamic instability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a novel, hemodynamically stable oleic acid-induced acute lung injury (ALI) model in piglets.
- To investigate the utility of a two-hit administration method for creating a more stable ALI model.
- To provide a suitable animal model for pediatric ALI research.
Main Methods:
- Eighteen Chinese mini-piglets were divided into three groups: control (saline-ethanol), routine OA-ethanol, and two-hit OA-ethanol.
- Hemodynamic parameters, pulmonary function, and histopathological changes were assessed.
- The two-hit method involved a modified administration of OA-ethanol solution.
Main Results:
- The routine OA group experienced significant mortality and drastic hemodynamic changes.
- The two-hit OA group demonstrated improved hemodynamic stability compared to the routine group.
- Both OA groups developed severe lung injury, while the control group showed no significant pathology.
- OA-induced hypotension was linked to pulmonary hypertension, not impaired left ventricular function.
Conclusions:
- Oleic acid induces pulmonary hypertension, leading to hemodynamic instability in ALI models.
- The novel two-hit method successfully established a hemodynamically stable ALI piglet model.
- This model exhibits stable gas exchange impairment and physiological relevance to pediatric ALI patients.
- The developed model is suitable for investigating pediatric ALI mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.
Background:
Children are susceptible to pulmonary injury, and acute lung injury (ALI) often results in a high mortality and financial cost in pediatric patients. Evidence has showed that oleic acid (OA) plays an important role in ALI. Therefore, it has special significance to study ALI in pediatric patients by using OA-induced animal models. Unfortunately, the animal model hs a high mortality due to hemodynamic instability. The aim of this study was to establish a novel hemodynamically stable OA-induced ALI model in piglets with two hits.
Methods:
18 Chinese mini-piglets were randomized into three groups: group C (received saline-ethanol solution), group T (received OA-ethanol solution in routine administration manner) and group H (received OA-ethanol solution in two-hit manner). Hemodynamic and pulmonary function data were measured. Histopathological assessments were performed.
Results:
Two piglets in group T died of radical decline of systemic blood pressure. Group T showed more drastic hemodynamic changes than group H especially during the period of 5 to 30 minutes after OA administration. Both Group T and group H all produced severe lung injury, while group C had no significant pathologic changes. OA-induced hypotension might be caused by pulmonary hypertension rather than comprised left ventricular function.
Conclusion:
OA leads to severe pulmonary hypertension which results in hemodynamic fluctuation in OA-induced ALI model. It is the first report on hemodynamic stable ALI animal model in piglets using two-hit method. The two-hit ALI animal model fulfils the ALI criteria and has the following characteristics: hemodynamic stability, stable damage to gas exchange and comparability with pediatric patients in body weight and corresponding age. The two-hit ALI animal model can be used to study the basic mechanism and the therapeutic strategies for pediatric ALI.
