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Updated: Feb 27, 2026
Isolated Lung Perfusion System in the Rabbit Model
Published on: July 15, 2021
Regulating autonomic nervous system homeostasis improves pulmonary function in rabbits with acute lung injury
Yan Liu1, Tao Tao1, Wenzhi Li2
1Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, the HeiLongJiang Province key laboratory on Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, NO.246 of Xuefu Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150081, China.
Background:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of regulating autonomic nervous system (ANS) homeostasis by inhibiting sympathetic hyperactivity and/or enhancing parasympathetic activity on pulmonary inflammation and functional disturbance.
Methods:
An animal model of acute lung injury (ALI) was established in rabbits by an intratracheal injection of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in rabbits. Animals in control groups were received saline or HCl only, and the others received both HCl and followed treatments: vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), intravenous injection of tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA), or stellate ganglion block (SGB). The effects of different treatments on the changes in autonomic nervous system homeostasis, pulmonary and systemic inflammation, and functional disturbance were detected.
Results:
Sympathetic nervous activity was higher than parasympathetic nervous activity in rabbits after HCl aspiration, as demonstrated by the significant changes in the discharge frequency of cervical sympathetic/vagus trunk, and heart rate variability. VNS, THA and SGB could significantly alleviate the changes of ANS induced by HCl aspiration and improved the pulmonary function, especially for SGB treatment.
Conclusions:
The disturbance of ANS homeostasis is attributed to a predominance of SNS activity. Administration of VNS, THA and SGB are capable to regulate disequilibrium of the ANS in rabbits with HCl-induced ALI and SGB is supposed to be the most effective approach.
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