Comparison of organ coefficients and expression of hypoxia-related genes in the Bama and Juema minipigs / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective To compare the organ coefficients and expressions of hypoxia-related genes in Bama and Juema pigs.Method Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the changes of hypoxia gene expressions in the heart,liver,spleen,lung,and kidney of Juema and Bama miniature pigs.Results The organ coefficients of kidney and spleen of Juema pigs were significantly lower than Bama miniature pigs (P<0.05 for both).The heart and lung coefficients of Juema pigs were significantly higher than that of Bama miniature pigs (P<0.05 for both).The VEGF and HIF-1α expressions in the lung and kidney in Juema pigs were significantly higher than Bama pigs (P<0.05 or P<0.01).Only the EPO expression in in the lung of Juema pigs was significantly higher than that of the Bama miniature pigs (P<0.05).Conclusions These results indicate that the variation in organ coefficients may be resulted from evolutionary factors such as adaptiveness to environmental physical and energy conditions,pathogens,and energy metabolism demands,etc.in combination.Juema miniature pigs showing a significantly higher expression of hypoxia-related genes than that in Bama minipigs indicate that it has a strong plateau adaptability by higher gene expressions.

Establishment of a myocardial infarction model and the gene expression profile in peri-infarct area in Juema minipigs / 中国实验动物学报

Objective To establish a Juema minipig model of myocardial infarction, to evaluate the clinical indi?ces in the model pigs, and to explore the relationship between gene expression and metabolic decompensation. Methods 13 male Juema minipigs were randomly divided into control (Sham, n=5), myocardial infarction (MI, n=5) and normal control (for evaluating the recovery condition after surgery, n=3) groups. In the MI group, the ligation was done at the left descending coronary artery around the 1/3 distance to heart apex. Four weeks after the surgery, the cardiac function and serum biochemistry was analyzed. The histological changes and gene expression profiles in the myocardium in the peri?infarct area were exanimated. Results Ultrasonic images showed that the infarction was formed, the ejection fraction and fraction shortening were significantly reduced in the MI group ( ~32% and ~40% less than those of the sham group). Histological examination showed that myocardial fibers at the peri?infarct area were broken, dissolved, and there was con?nective tissue hyperplasia with increased neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration. Microarray analysis revealed that two myo?cardial remodeling and pathology mediating pathways, three inflammation?related pathways, and 8 metabolic pathways ( in?cluding fatty acid, amino acid, and glucose metabolic pathways) were significantly changed. Conclusions We have suc?cessfully established a Juema minipig model of myocardial infarction. The less branches of the left descending coronary ar?tery allow us to establish a stable model by surgery with comparable characteristics in the clinic indices. The results of this study provides useful reference characteristics of an animal model with characteristic changes in the peri?infarct area.

Comparison of the Bama minipig and Juema minipig models of high altitude multi-organ dysfunction syndrome / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective To compare the Bama minipig and Juema minipig models of high altitude multi-organ dysfunction syndrome.Methods Six plateau-origin Juema minipigs and plain-origin Bama minpigs in each group received intravenous infusion of 0.35 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) , respectively.Blood samples were taken at 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after LPS infusion.Routine blood test was performed, blood CK, AST, ALT, TBIL, CRE were assayed, and histopathological examination of the lung tissues was performed at 24 h, 48 h after LPS infusion.Results The mortality of Bama minipigs was 33.3%, higher than that of 16.7%of Juema minipigs.The trend of physiological and biochemical changes was similar, but was milder in the Juema minipigs than in Bama minipigs.The lung injuries of the Bama minipigs at 24 h and 48 h were more severe than those in the Juema minipigs.Conclusions Both Bama and Juema minipig models of high altitude multi-organ dysfunction syndrome can be successfully established.Juema minipig models can be more closely and safely established, due to its own plateau biological properties, and avoid the influence by extrinsic injurious effects of plateau environment.