Residual cftr expression varies with age in cftr(tm1Hgu) cystic fibrosis mice: impact on morphology and physiology

M. Larbig, S. Jansen, M. Dorsch, W. Bernhard, B. Bellmann, J. R. Dorin, D. J. Porteous, H. Von Der Hardt, I. Steinmetz, H. J. Hedrich, B. Tuemmler, T. Tschernig

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Mouse models for cystic fibrosis (CF) mimic intestinal manifestations of the human disease, but the lung disease phenotypes are lacking in most strains. In this work, the issue was addressed whether aging of the respiratory tract leads to lung pathophysiology in the exon 10 insertional mutant cftr(tm1Hgu) mouse. Weight gain, body weight and life-span of cftr(tm1Hgu) mice were significantly reduced compared with control mice. cftr(tm1Hgu) mice expressed 20, 21 or 37% (median) of wild-type cystic fibrosis conductance transmembrane regulator (cftr) mRNA transcript in lungs, intestine and kidney. Wild-type cftr mRNA in renal and respiratory epithelia varied with age from levels similar to Ztm:MF1 controls at the age of 2 and 4 months to levels seen in patients with CFTR splice mutations beyond the age of 6 months. The morphology of the bronchi and more distal airways was apparently normal in cftr(tm1Hgu) mice during their first year of life. The alveolar surfactant phospholipid pool was increased in cftr(tm1Hgu) mice by 1.5- to 2-fold compared with Ztm:MF1 controls. Alveolar clearance of gamma-labelled scandium oxide - the first report of lung clearance measurement in living mice - was reduced in cftr(tm1Hgu) mice compared with littermate controls. Although no progressive lung pathology was seen in the cftr expression of cftr(tm1Hgu) mice, surfactant phospholipid homeostasis, and alveolar and mucociliary clearance were abnormal. Therefore, the described model is useful for studying the initial CF lung pathophysiology.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-97
Number of pages9
JournalPathobiology: The Journal of Translational Pathology
Volume70
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 2002

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • *Aging Animals Body Weight Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/chemistry Cystic Fibrosis/*genetics/*physiopathology Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator/*biosynthesis/genetics Intestines/metabolism Kidney/metabolism Lung/chemistry/metabolism/pathology/physiopathology Mice *Mice, Inbred CFTR Models, Animal Mucociliary Clearance/genetics/physiology Mutation Phospholipids/analysis RNA, Messenger/analysis Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Residual cftr expression varies with age in cftr(tm1Hgu) cystic fibrosis mice: impact on morphology and physiology'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this