Roxadustat attenuates hyperoxia-induced lung injury by upregulating proangiogenic factors in newborn mice

Liang-Ti Huang1, Hsiu-Chu Chou2, Chung-Ming Chen3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Insights

Roxadustat, an HIF stabilizer, reversed hyperoxia-induced lung injury in mice by promoting pulmonary angiogenesis. This study highlights roxadustat

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Neonatology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease in premature infants often linked to oxygen therapy and interrupted alveologenesis.
  • Disrupted pulmonary angiogenesis is a key factor in BPD development, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
  • Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) regulate genes like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), crucial for angiogenesis, yet their role in hyperoxia-induced lung injury is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of roxadustat, a known HIF stabilizer and promoter of angiogenesis, on pulmonary angiogenesis during hyperoxia exposure.
  • To determine if roxadustat can mitigate the negative impacts of neonatal hyperoxia on lung development.

Main Methods:

  • C57BL6 mouse pups were exposed to neonatal hyperoxia (85% O2).
  • Pups received either phosphate-buffered saline or varying doses of roxadustat (5 or 10 mg/kg).
  • Body weight, survival rates, and lung tissue were analyzed for histology and angiogenic factor expression on postnatal Day 7.

Main Results:

  • Neonatal hyperoxia exposure significantly reduced body weight, survival rates, and expression of key angiogenic factors (von Willebrand factor, HIF-1α, VEGF, eNOS).
  • Hyperoxia also increased the mean linear intercept, indicating impaired alveologenesis.
  • Roxadustat administration effectively reversed these detrimental effects of hyperoxia.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal hyperoxia impairs pulmonary vascular development and reduces proangiogenic factor expression.
  • Roxadustat promotes pulmonary angiogenesis in the context of hyperoxia by stabilizing HIF-1α and upregulating proangiogenic factors.
  • These findings suggest roxadustat has significant potential for clinical and therapeutic applications in managing hyperoxia-induced lung injury.
Abstract