Contrary to conventional research animals, horses naturally develop asthma, a
disease in which the extracellular matrix of the lung plays a significant role.
Hence, the horse lung extracellular matrix appears to be an ideal candidate
model for in vitro studying the mechanisms and potential treatments for asthma.
However, so far, such model to study cell–extracellular matrix interactions in
asthma has not been developed. The aim of this study was to establish a protocol
for equine lung decellularization that maintains the architecture of the
extracellular matrix and could be used in the future as an in vitro model for
therapeutic treatment in asthma. For this the equine lungs were decellularized
by sodium dodecyl sulfate detergent perfusion at constant gravitational pressure
of 30 cmH2O. Lung scaffolds were assessed by immunohistochemistry
(collagen I, III, IV, laminin, and fibronectin), scanning electron microscopy,
and DNA quantification. Their mechanical property was assessed by measuring lung
compliance using the super-syringe technique. The optimized protocol of lung
equine decellularization was effective to remove cells (19.8 ng/mg) and to
preserve collagen I, III, IV, laminin, and fibronectin. Moreover, scanning
electron microscopy analysis demonstrated maintained microscopic lung
structures. The decellularized lungs presented lower compliance compared to
native lung. In conclusion we described a reproducible decellularization
protocol that can produce an acellular equine lung feasible for the future
development of novel treatment strategies in asthma.