Severe but not moderate hyperoxia of newborn mice causes an emphysematous lung phenotype in adulthood without persisting oxidative stress and inflammation

Preterm newborns typically require supplemental oxygen but hyperoxic conditions also damage the premature lung. Oxygen-induced lung damages are mainly studied in newborn mouse models using oxygen concentrations above 75% and looking at short-term effects. Therefore, we aimed at the investigation of long-term effects and their dependency on different oxygen concentrations.

Newborn mice were exposed to moderate vs. severe hyperoxic air conditions (50 vs. 75% O₂) for 14 days followed by a longer period of normoxic conditions. Lung-related parameters were collected at an age of 60 or 120 days.

Severe hyperoxia caused lower alveolar density, enlargement of parenchymal air spaces and fragmented elastic fibers as well as higher lung compliance with peak airflow limitations and higher sensitivity to ventilation-mediated damages in later life. However, these long-term lung structural and functional changes did not restrict the voluntary physical activity. Also, they were not accompanied by ongoing inflammatory processes, increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or altered expressions of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutases, catalase) and lung elasticity-relevant proteins (elastin, pro-surfactant proteins) in adulthood. In contrast to severe hyperoxia, moderate hyperoxia was less lung damaging but also not free of long-term effects (higher lung compliance without peak airflow limitations, increased ROS formation).

Severe but not moderate neonatal hyperoxia causes emphysematous lungs without persisting oxidative stress and inflammation in adulthood. As the existing fragmentation of the elastic fibers seems to play a pivotal role, it indicates the usefulness of elastin-protecting compounds in the reduction of long-term oxygen-related lung damages.