Protocol Preview: a Ferret Model of Respiratory Inflammation Blog post by Jasmin Skinner Acute lung injury is the pulmonary manifestation of acute systemic inflammation, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States [1]. Although its incidence and outcomes have been historically difficult to determine, one 2005 study estimated that acute lung injury is associated with 74,500 deaths annually in the United States, as well as 3.6 million hospital days [2]. Additionally, research has shown that physical, cognitive, and mental health impairments are common and persistent following acute lung injury [3]. Despite its significant impact on public health, the inflammation and tissue damage that occurs alongside this condition has been difficult to treat. Inflammatory lung injuries can result from both infectious and non-infectious sources [4]. Viral and bacterial infections like influenza, pneumonia, and SARS-CoV-2 will typically elicit an acute inflammatory response, and could lead to severe complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome [5]. The inflammatory response to these infections results in an influx of immune cells into the lungs, which is often accompanied by a series of pro-inflammatory agents (e.g., interleukin-8) and reactive oxygen species that can damage lung tissue [4]. While there is some understanding of the cellular components involved in this process, treatment plans and the underlying mechanisms driving tissue injury are not as well characterized, and appropriate preclinical models are needed. https://insidescientific.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Novel-Animal-Models-and-Methods-for-Studying-COVID-19_F1R.jpg Novel Animal Models and Methods for Studying COVID-19: Golden Hamsters and Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 Delivery In this webinar, Dr. Valeria Fumagalli and Dr. Nancy Mounogou Kouassi present two novel models of COVID-19: golden hamsters and aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 delivery in mice. WATCH NOW

Challenges with modeling respiratory inflammation

While rodents have long been used to model many human diseases, the differences in anatomy, physiology, and immunology between humans and mice cannot be ignored when modeling respiratory inflammation. Their small size in particular poses several challenges, as traditional methods for measuring their respiratory function like pulmonary function testing (PFT) are often extremely invasive and fatal, which limits their use in long-term studies [4]. While less invasive PFT approaches have been attempted (e.g., plethysmography), they often still require invasive procedures to capture the full respiratory effect [4]. Larger animals such as pigs and non-human primates tend to have more similar biology to humans, but are more expensive and raise ethical considerations [4]. Recently, one group of researchers proposed a ferret model as a solution to modeling respiratory inflammation at the preclinical stage.

Why use a ferret model in preclinical respiratory inflammation studies?

Although ferrets may seem like an unlikely candidate as a preclinical model, they present many advantages to studies of respiratory inflammation. Their larger size compared to mice reduces the risk of fatality after PFT, and they can be intubated more easily [4]. Ferrets also have a high propensity for pathogenic infections, can experience disease mutations that are relevant to humans (e.g., cystic fibrosis), and demonstrate similar pathology and disease progression as humans