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Updated: May 8, 2026
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3D Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Respiratory Motion in Mechanically Ventilated Mice and Rats
Published on: September 19, 2025
Mechanical ventilation causes pulmonary mitochondrial dysfunction and delayed alveolarization in neonatal mice
Veniamin Ratner1, Sergey A Sosunov, Zoya V Niatsetskaya
11 Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
|August 29, 2013
Summary
Aggressive mechanical ventilation (MV) impairs lung development by disrupting mitochondrial energy production, leading to bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Gentle or brief ventilation preserves lung function and development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal physiology
- Mitochondrial bioenergetics
- Pulmonary development
Background:
- Hyperoxia is known to impair pulmonary bioenergetics and delay alveolarization.
- Mechanical ventilation (MV) may also negatively impact lung development by affecting cellular energy production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that mechanical ventilation (MV) causes a failure of pulmonary bioenergetics, hindering alveolarization.
- To determine the impact of different MV strategies on lung development and mitochondrial function.
Main Methods:
- Neonatal mice were subjected to various MV protocols (prolonged/brief, aggressive/gentle tidal volumes).
- Mitochondrial function (respiration, ATP production, enzyme activity) and lung alveolarization were assessed after recovery periods.
- Mice were also exposed to 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to mimic bioenergetic disruption.
Main Results:
- Aggressive MV significantly decreased mitochondrial ATP production and enzyme activity at 24 hours.
- Prolonged-aggressive MV led to persistent mitochondrial dysfunction, poorer alveolarization, and reduced VEGF expression at 10 days.
- Brief-aggressive or prolonged-gentle MV restored mitochondrial function and resulted in normal lung development.
Conclusions:
- Failure of bioenergetics to support lung development due to aggressive and prolonged ventilation is a key mechanism in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
- Ventilation strategies should aim to preserve mitochondrial function to promote normal lung development in premature neonates.
