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Updated: May 12, 2026

Isolation of Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells from Neonatal Mice
Published on: October 19, 2013
Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine ameliorates hyperoxic lung injury in a neonatal rat model
Merih Cetinkaya1, Mehmet Cansev, Ilker M Kafa
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. drmerih@yahoo.com
Insights
Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) treatment significantly reduced lung damage in a neonatal rat model of hyperoxic lung injury. This suggests CDP-choline may be a promising therapeutic for preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Pulmonary medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant cause of neonatal morbidity.
- Hyperoxic lung injury is a major contributor to BPD development.
- Investigating novel preventive strategies for BPD is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the preventive effect of cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) on hyperoxic lung injury.
- To assess CDP-choline's impact on lung development and injury markers in a neonatal rat model.
Main Methods:
- Neonatal rats were divided into control, hyperoxia, and hyperoxia + CDP-choline groups.
- Hyperoxia exposure (95% O₂) was administered from birth to postnatal day 10.
- Lung histopathology, alveolar counts, protein expression, cytokine levels, and apoptosis were analyzed.
Main Results:
- CDP-choline treatment significantly attenuated hyperoxia-induced lung damage.
- Radial alveolar count and lamellar body protein expression were improved by CDP-choline.
- CDP-choline reduced apoptosis markers, proinflammatory cytokines, and increased lung phospholipids.
Conclusions:
- CDP-choline effectively ameliorates hyperoxic lung injury in neonatal rats.
- CDP-choline demonstrates potential as a novel therapeutic for preventing BPD.
- Further research into CDP-choline for BPD prevention is warranted.
Background:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is an important cause of morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive effect of cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) treatment on hyperoxic lung injury in a neonatal rat model.
Methods:
A total of 30 newborn pups were divided into control, hyperoxia, and hyperoxia + CDP-choline groups. After birth, pups in the control group were kept in room air and received saline injections, whereas those in hyperoxia and hyperoxia + CDP-choline groups were exposed to 95% O₂ and received daily injections of saline and CDP-choline throughout postnatal day 10, respectively. Histopathological scoring, radial alveolar count, lamellar body membrane protein expression, fibrosis, proinflammatory cytokine levels, lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid phospholipid content, and apoptosis were evaluated.
Results:
Hyperoxia-induced severe lung damage was reduced significantly by CDP-choline treatment. Radial alveolar count and lamellar body membrane protein expression were significantly recovered, and the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling-positive cells, active caspase-3 expression, and tissue proinflammatory cytokine levels were decreased by CDP-choline administration. Lung tissue and BAL phospholipid contents showed significant increases after CDP-choline administration.
Conclusion:
These data show that CDP-choline ameliorates hyperoxic lung injury in a neonatal rat model. It may therefore be suggested that CDP-choline may be a novel therapeutic option for the prevention of BPD.
