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Modelling Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Animals: Arguments for the Preterm Rabbit Model
Thomas Salaets1,2, Andre Gie1, Bieke Tack2
1Department of Development and Regeneration, Cluster Organ Systems, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
|September 28, 2017
Summary
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication of preterm birth. This review discusses animal models that mimic human BPD, aiding in the development of new treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pulmonology
- Comparative Medicine
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant cause of morbidity in premature infants, despite advances in neonatal care.
- Improving outcomes for BPD necessitates the investigation of novel therapeutic and preventive strategies.
- Animal models are crucial for studying BPD pathophysiology and evaluating potential interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the key aspects of human BPD pathophysiology and phenotype relevant for animal model selection.
- To discuss the advantages and limitations of various animal models used in BPD research.
- To guide the selection of appropriate animal models for different stages of BPD research, from hypothesis generation to clinical translation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing animal models for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
- Analysis of how well animal model phenotypes and pathopysiology align with human BPD.
- Evaluation of the translational relevance of different animal models based on their characteristics.
Main Results:
- Prematurity is a core factor in BPD, making preterm animal models highly relevant.
- While oxygen, ventilation, and infection can exacerbate lung injury, they are not essential for BPD development in models.
- Animal models exhibit key BPD features like alveolar developmental arrest, airway obstruction, and pulmonary vascular disease.
- Different models offer unique advantages: term rodents for basic research, preterm large animals for clinical translation, and preterm rabbits as a versatile intermediate model.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are indispensable tools for understanding BPD and testing interventions.
- The choice of animal model should consider its ability to replicate human BPD features and its suitability for the research question.
- Careful interpretation of results, considering model-specific advantages and disadvantages, is essential for successful translation to clinical practice.
