Effects of ventilator-induced lung injury on airway-ciliated epithelia and the influence on mucociliary transport system

Mechanical ventilation (MV) can result in a medical complication named Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI), where physiologic and morphologic alterations in the lungs have been reported. In this study, we have hypothesized that MV-induced injury can have a major impact on the mucociliary system. In a randomized controlled trial twenty-seven male New Zealand rabbits were separated into four groups. During the first thirty minutes all rabbits were subjected to MV with tidal volume of 8 ml/kg of body weight, 3 L/minute of flow, positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cm H2O and FIO2 of 0.4. After that the study animals were divided into 4 groups: Sham (n=6) was ventilated for ten minutes, Lower Volume/LV (n=6; Vt 8, P peak 17, P mean 9, PEEP 5, Flow 3), High Volume/HV (n=7; Vt 16, P peak 27, P mean 12, PEEP 5, Flow 5) and High Pressure/HP (n=8; Vt 8, P peak 30, P mean 20, PEEP 12, Flow 9) and ventilated for 3 hours more. Respiratory system mechanics was recorded using Labview®. Blood gasometry and vital signals were monitored. Lung tissue sections were stained by H&E to analyze inflammation. We also studied the ciliary beating frequency (CBF), tracheal mucociliary transport (TMCT) in situ and in vitro, mucus contact angle (CA) and respiratory mucus viscosity. To quantify mucosubstances, tracheal samples were stained with PAS/AB. As a result we have that the respiratory system compliance decreased (p<0.05) in the HP group compared to other ventilated groups. All ventilated groups showed an increase in polymorphonuclear cells quantity per area of lung parenchyma (p<0.001) compared to the Sham group. There were no differences in TMCT and CA among ventilated groups, when initial and final measurements were compared. MCT significantly decreased in the LV group (p=0.007) after the protocol (1.42 range of 2.11-0.99 to 0.95 range of 1.15-0.92). The CBF significantly decreased (p=0.047) in the HP group when the initial (13.51 range of 14.49-11.62)...