Lin Xiaoxiao, Zhou Liqin, Zhou Wanting, Li Yuping, Jin Xuru, Ye Min, Chen Chengshui
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, China.
Front Oncol. 2022 Aug 18;12:959309. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.959309. eCollection 2022.
Malignant central airway stenosis is a life-threatening condition. However, treatment of malignant airway stenosis remains challenging. There is currently a severe lack of an excellent animal model of malignant airway stenosis to facilitate treatment approaches. This is the first study to establish a rabbit model of malignant airway stenosis for bronchoscopic interventional studies.
New Zealand White rabbits were used in this study, randomly divided into group A (18 rabbits) and group B (6 rabbits). A VX2 fragment suspension was injected into the submucosal layer of rabbits' airway by bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopic examinations were performed once a week after VX2 tumor implantation to observe tumor growth and the degree of airway stenosis. Randomly, three rabbits were generally dissected after a weekly bronchoscopic examination in group A. The rabbits that reached grade III airway stenosis underwent stent implantation in group B.
A total of 24 rabbits were successfully implanted with the VX2 fragment suspension in the airway without significant adverse events, and the success rate of the tumor growth was 100%. The degree of airway stenosis reaching grade III took 2 to 3 weeks after implantation of the VX2 tumor. The median survival time of rabbit models without stent implantation and rabbits with stent implantation was 32.5 and 32.0 days, respectively.
The implanting method is safe and effective for the establishment of a rabbit model of malignant airway stenosis. When the tumor grows to 2 to 3 weeks, the rabbit model is available for stent implantation. We recommend the models for more preclinical animal studies on bronchoscopic interventional treatments.
恶性中央气道狭窄是一种危及生命的疾病。然而，恶性气道狭窄的治疗仍然具有挑战性。目前严重缺乏用于促进治疗方法研究的优秀恶性气道狭窄动物模型。这是第一项建立用于支气管镜介入研究的恶性气道狭窄兔模型的研究。
本研究使用新西兰白兔，随机分为A组（18只兔子）和B组（6只兔子）。通过支气管镜将VX2瘤块悬液注入兔气道黏膜下层。VX2肿瘤植入后每周进行一次支气管镜检查，观察肿瘤生长及气道狭窄程度。A组每周支气管镜检查后随机选取3只兔子进行大体解剖。B组中达到Ⅲ级气道狭窄的兔子进行支架植入。
共有24只兔子成功在气道内植入VX2瘤块悬液，无明显不良事件发生，肿瘤生长成功率为100%。VX2肿瘤植入后2至3周气道狭窄程度达到Ⅲ级。未植入支架的兔模型和植入支架的兔模型的中位生存时间分别为32.5天和32.0天。
该植入方法对于建立恶性气道狭窄兔模型安全有效。当肿瘤生长至2至3周时，该兔模型可用于支架植入。我们推荐该模型用于更多关于支气管镜介入治疗的临床前动物研究。
