Intra-Airway Gene Delivery for Pulmonary Hypertension in Rodent Models

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe and progressive cardiopulmonary disease characterized by pathological remodeling of the resistance pulmonary arteries (PA), ultimately leading to right ventricular (RV) failure and death. Animal models have been particularly useful for unraveling the pathogenesis of PAH by providing incisive experimental strategies that were impossible in human studies. Over the past decade, gene therapy has been making considerable progress as an alternative strategy for treating PAH disease. Animal models mimicking PAH disease are essential at preclinical stages for assessing the therapeutic potential of gene therapy and determining genome viral vectors transduction, safety, dosage, and localization of transgene expression. The most commonly used PAH rat models in gene therapy studies are the monocrotaline (MCT), the chronic hypoxia–Sugen 5416, and the pneumonectomy (PNT)–MCT models. Here, we provide detailed protocols for creating these preclinical rodent models of PAH commonly used to assess the efficiency of lung gene therapy in PAH.