Alveolar damage and development of emphysema in rats with carbon monoxide poisoning

Background Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning affects several vital organs; however, the long-term damage to lungs has not been well investigated. Objective This study investigated the morphological changes and the associated molecules 6 weeks after CO poisoning in rat models. Rats in the CO poisoning group were exposed to 1500 ppm CO in a gas chamber for 3 h. After 6 weeks, the rats in the control and CO poisoning groups were sacrificed. Pathological changes were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Western blotting and antibody arrays for inflammatory signaling molecules were performed using lung homogenates. Complete blood counts and Krebs Von Den Lungen (KL)-6 levels were compared among rats in the control group and those immediately and 6 weeks after CO poisoning using blood sampling from an indwelling catheter. Results CO-poisoned lungs showed emphysematous changes with increased mean linear intercept ( p = 0.0007). SERPINA1, IL-13, CD44, and GDF7 levels were significantly decreased, whereas TGFβ, ɑ-SMA, MMP9, and NF-κB levels were significantly increased in the CO-poisoned lungs. KL-6 serum levels were significantly higher in the CO-poisoned rats ( p