Protective effect of keratinocyte growth factor against lung abnormalities associated with hyperoxia in prematurely born rats

We used a prematurely born rat/hyperoxia model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) to test whether keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) treatment would protect against the development of several serious (cardio-)pulmonary complications of early life exposure to hyperoxia. KGF significantly protected against hyperoxic lethality (13-day survival rate = 50/64 (78%) for the O-2-KGF vs. 29/66 (44%) for the O-2-saline group, p < 0.001). Although KGF failed to protect against hyperoxic inhibition of normal postnatal alveoli formation and early pulmonary fibrosis, KGF consistently had a significant protective/preventive effect against the development of pulmonary hypertension during hyperoxia as reflected in comparative right ventricular hypertrophy: mean increase =+35% above normal for the O-2-saline group vs. +3% for the O-2-KGF premature rat group (p < 0.01). Copyright (C) 2003 S. KargerAG, Basel.