Determination of reliable lung function parameters in intubated mice

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Physiology
• Animal Models in Research

Background:

• Mice models are crucial for studying respiratory diseases and drug development.
• Current lung function measurements in mice often require tracheostomy, limiting studies to endpoints.
• Orotracheal intubation offers potential for reproducible measurements but requires validation against tracheostomy data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability of lung function parameters measured via orotracheal intubation in mice.
• To compare data obtained through intubation with measurements from subsequent tracheostomy in the same animals.
• To evaluate the feasibility of repetitive lung function measurements using intubation.

Main Methods:

• Lung function parameters (FVC, FEV0.1, Crs, C, A) were measured using the Flexivent system in intubated BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J mice.
• Measurements were compared to data from the same mice after tracheostomy using paired comparison, correlation, and Bland-Altman analysis.
• Feasibility of repeated measurements via intubation was assessed.

Main Results:

• Accurate evaluation of FVC, FEV0.1, Crs, C, and A was identified in BALB/cJ mice.
• Accurate evaluation of FVC, FEV0.1, and A was identified in C57BL/6J mice.
• Repetitive lung function measurements were successfully obtained in C57BL/6J mice.

Conclusions:

• A subset of lung function parameters measured via orotracheal intubation in mice is reliable.
• This method supports longitudinal studies in respiratory research.
• Orotracheal intubation provides a viable alternative to tracheostomy for certain lung function assessments.