A Mouse Model of Orotracheal Intubation and Ventilated Lung Ischemia Reperfusion Surgery

Summary

A mouse surgical model to create left lung ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury while maintaining ventilation and avoiding hypoxia.

Abstract

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury frequently results from processes that involve a transient period of interrupted blood flow. In the lung, isolated IR permits the experimental study of this specific process with continued alveolar ventilation, thereby avoiding the compounding injurious processes of hypoxia and atelectasis. In the clinical context, lung ischemia reperfusion injury (also known as lung IRI or LIRI) is caused by numerous processes, including but not limited to pulmonary embolism, resuscitated hemorrhagic trauma, and lung transplantation. There are currently limited effective treatment options for LIRI. Here, we present a reversible surgical model of lung IR involving first orotracheal intubation followed by unilateral left lung ischemia and reperfusion with preserved alveolar ventilation or gas exchange. Mice undergo a left thoracotomy, through which the left pulmonary artery is exposed, visualized, isolated, and compressed using a reversible slipknot. The surgical incision is then closed during the ischemic period, and the animal is awakened and extubated. With the mouse spontaneously breathing, reperfusion is established by releasing the slipknot around the pulmonary artery. This clinically relevant survival model permits the evaluation of lung IR injury, the resolution phase, downstream effects on lung function, as well as two-hit models involving experimental pneumonia. While technically challenging, this model can be mastered over the course of a few weeks to months with an eventual survival or success rate of 80%-90%.

Introduction

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury can occur when blood flow is restored to an organ or tissue bed after some period of interruption. In the lung, IR can occur in isolation or in association with other injurious processes such as infection, hypoxia, atelectasis, volutrauma (from high tidal volumes during mechanical ventilation), barotrauma (high peak or sustained pressures during mechanical ventilation), or blunt (non-penetrating) lung contusion injury^1,2,3. There remain several gaps in our knowledge about the mechanisms of LIRI and the impact of concurrent processes (e.g., inf....

Protocol

All procedures and steps described below were approved by the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) at the University of California San Francisco. Any mouse strain can be used, though some strains have a more robust lung IR inflammatory response compared to others¹². Mice that are approximately 12-15 weeks of age (30-40 g) or older tolerate and survive the lung IR surgery better than younger mice. Both male and female mice can be used for these surgeries.

Discussion

This manuscript details the steps involved in performing the ventilated lung IR model developed by Dodd-o et al.⁹. This model has helped identify molecular pathways involved in the generation and resolution of inflammation from lung IR in isolation^14,15,16,17, lung IR in combination with co-existing infection¹⁸, and lung IR in relation to the gut-.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Equipment
Fiber Optic Light Pipe	Cole-Parmer	UX-41720-65	Fiberoptic light pipe
Fiber Optic Light Source	AmScope	SKU: CL-HL250-B	Light source for fiberoptic lights
Germinator 500	Cell Point Scientific, Inc.	No.5-1450	Bead Sterilizer
Heating Pad	AIMS	14-370-223	Alternative option
Lithium.Ion Grooming Kits(hair clipper)	WAHL home products	SKU 09854-600B	To remove mouse hair on surgical site
Microscope	Nikon	SMZ-10	Other newer options available at the company website
MiniVent Ventilator	Havard Apparatus	Model 845	Mouse ventilator
Ultrasonic Cleaner	Cole-Parmer	UX-08895-05	Clean tools that been used in operation
Warming Pad	Kent Scientific	RT-0501	To keep mouse warm while recovering from surgery
Weighing Scale	Cole-Parmer	UX-11003-41	Weighing scale
Surgery Tools
4-0 Silk Suture	Ethicon	683G	For closing muscle layer
7-0 Prolene Suture	Ethicon Industry	EP8734H	Using for making a slip knot of left pulmonary artery
Bard-Parker (11) Scalpel (Rib-Back Carbon Steel Surgical Blade, sterile, single use)	Aspen Surgical	372611	For entering thoracic cavity (option 1)
Bard-Parker (12) Scalpel	Aspen Surgical	372612	For entering thoracic cavity (option 2)
Extra Fine Graefe Forceps	FST	11150-10	Muscle/rib holding forceps
Magnetic Fixator Retraction System	FST	1. Base Plate (Nos. 18200-03) 2. Fixators (Nos. 18200-01) 3. Retractors (Nos. 18200-05 through 18200-12) 4. Elastomer (Nos.18200-07) 5. Retractor(No.18200-08)	Small Animal Retraction System
Monoject Standard Hypodermic Needle	COVIDIEN	05-561-20	For medication delivery IP
Narrow Pattern Forceps	FST	11002-12	Skin level forceps
Needle holder/Needle driver	FST	12565-14	for holding needles
Needles	BD	305110	26 gauge needle for externalizing slipknot (24 or 26 gauge needle okay too)
PA/Vessel Dilating forceps	FST	00125-11	To hold PA; non-damaging gripper
Scissors	FST	14060-09	Used for incision and cutting into the muscular layer durging surgery
Ultra Fine Dumont micro forceps	FST	11295-10 (Dumont #5 forceps, Biology tip, tip dimension:0.05*0.02mm,11cm)	For passing through the space between the left pulmonary artery and bronchus
Reagents
0.25% Bupivacaine	Hospira, Inc.	0409-1159-02	Topical analgesic used during surgical wound closure
Avertin (2,2,2-Tribromoethanol)	Sigma-Aldrich	T48402-25G	Anesthetic, using for anesthetize the mouse for IR surgery, the concentration used in IR surgery is 250-400 mg/kg.
Buprenorphine	Covetrus North America	59122	Analgesic: concentration used for surgery is 0.05-0.1 mg/kg
Eye Lubricant	BAUSCH+LOMB	Soothe Lubricant Eye Ointment	Relieves dryness of the eye
Povidone-Iodine 10% Solution	MEDLINE INDUSTRIES INC	SKU MDS093944H (2 FL OZ, topical antiseptic)	Topical liquid applied for an effective first aid antiseptic at beginning of surgery
Materials
Alcohol Swab	BD brand	BD 326895	for sterilzing area of injection and surgery
Plastic film	KIRKLAND	Stretch-Tite premium	Alternative for covering the sterilized surgical field (more cost effective)
Rodent Surgical Drapes	Stoelting	50981	Sterile field or drape for surgical field
Sterile Cotton Tipped Application	Pwi-Wnaps	703033	used for applying eye lubricant
Top Sponges	Dukal Corporaton	Reorder # 5360	Stopping bleeding from skin/muscle