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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
06:07
Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
Published on: October 22, 2020
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Inflammaging increases susceptibility to cigarette smoke-induced COPD.
Gerrit John-Schuster1, Stefanie Günter1, Katrin Hager1
1Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Oncotarget
|August 19, 2015
Summary
Aging exacerbates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development in mice exposed to cigarette smoke (CS). Aged mice show accelerated emphysema, airway remodeling, and inflammation, indicating age amplifies CS-induced lung damage.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involves abnormal lung inflammation, primarily from cigarette smoke (CS), with increased risk in older individuals.
- Chronic inflammation stems from repeated immune cell activation, suggesting age-related immune responses may influence COPD pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if aged mice exhibit a heightened immune response and increased susceptibility to COPD pathogenesis when exposed to chronic cigarette smoke compared to young mice.
Main Methods:
- Young (2-month-old) and aged (12-month-old) mice were exposed to CS for 3 months.
- Lung function (compliance), emphysema, airway remodeling, and inflammation (inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue) were measured and compared between age groups and control animals.
Main Results:
- CS-exposed aged mice showed significantly increased lung compliance, emphysema, and airway remodeling compared to CS-exposed young mice.
- Aged mice exposed to CS exhibited a greater volume of inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue, indicating heightened lung inflammation.
- Young mice exposed to CS did not display these COPD-related pathological changes.
Conclusions:
- Age amplifies cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation and accelerates COPD pathogenesis in mice.
- Age-related changes in immune cell susceptibility to CS may contribute to the accelerated disease progression observed in older animals.
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