Abstract
Background: PF is a serious disease to human health. We currently lack effective therapies on PF. Current drug researches on PF are mainly based on rodent models, but great differences there are between humans and rodents, the experiment results from the rodent models may not be consistent with what happen in humans. Therefore, animal models closer to human are needed.
Aims: In consideration of the evolutionary relationships to human, we selected the rhesus as the experimental animal model of PF. In our experiment plan, we use the bleomycin(BLM) to induce PF, then we try to establish a standardized platform of evaluation researches of new PF drugs on our rhesus models.
Methods: First, a atomizing injector was sent into the trachea until reaching the carinate, then BLM was injected into the trachea. After the injection, we investigated the blood levels of TGF-β1, IL-6, MMP-7 and SaO2 every 2 week. Most importantly, we monitored the fibrosis process by CT. We also monitored the activity levels as a supplement.
Results: 56 days after the BLM-injection, the blood levels of MMP-7 and IL-6 were 1.5-fold high of the control group, the level of TGF-β1 was 1.8-fold. Half year after the injection, compared with the control group, typical PF imaging changes we could find on the CT images, the activity levels of the injection group reduced significantly, the average SaO2 dropped 10% after the injection.
Conclusions and more: We believe the rhesus models are successful. A new drug with strong binding affinity to both TGF-β1 and VEGF has been being evaluated on our models; we will see the effect soon. At last, we can evaluate more new drugs with the rhesus models, maybe a little help we can do for the PF research.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015