Significant correlation between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and alveolar repair in elastase-induced rat pulmonary emphysema

• Published in: Surgery today (Tokyo, Japan) Japan), 2013-03, Vol.43 (3), p.293-299
• Main Authors: Ito, Hiromichi, Matsushita, Shonosuke, Ishikawa, Shigemi, Goto, Yukinobu, Sakai, Mitsuaki, Onizuka, Masataka, Sato, Yukio, Sakakibara, Yuzuru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arterioles - enzymology; Blotting, Western; Disease Models, Animal; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neovascularization, Physiologic - physiology; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - biosynthesis; Original Article; Pulmonary Alveoli - blood supply; Pulmonary Alveoli - metabolism; Pulmonary Emphysema - enzymology; Pulmonary Emphysema - pathology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recovery of Function; Surgery; Surgical Oncology
• ISSN: 0941-1291; 1436-2813
• DOI: 10.1007/s00595-012-0293-7

Background and purpose Angiogenic factors, such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), are thought to play an important role in the repair of pulmonary emphysema (PE); yet, the correlation of the factors involved has not been investigated. We conducted this study to clarify the positive correlation between eNOS expression and alveolar repair in PE recovery. Methods We used elastase to induce PE in rats, which were divided into Groups A (Control), B (G-CSF), C (PE) and D (PE + G-CSF). G-CSF was injected for 12 days, 4 weeks after which the alveolar walls, arterioles, and angiogenic factors including eNOS were examined histopathologically and by western blotting. Results In comparing Groups A, B, C, and D, the alveolar density was 2.4 ± 0.2, 2.4 ± 0.1, 1.8 ± 0.1, 2.5 ± 0.1 per 100 μm 2 , respectively (C vs. others; p