Response of the lung after pneumonectomy in alloxan diabetic rats

Abstract

In order to determine the response of remaining lung after pneumonectomy during diabetes, female Wistar rats that received an intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (D Group) or saline (C Group) were submitted to lung resection. Six days after alloxan injection (45 mg/kg), diabetes was confirmed. The rats were randomized divided in 3 subgroups: non-operated (NO), sham operation (SO) and left pneumonectomy (PE). Thirty days after the surgery all rats were killed and the weight and volume of the lungs were measured. PE-diabetic rats showed smaller lung weight and volume than PE-non-diabetic animals. The results demonstrated that the compensatory lung growth postpneumonectomy were not observed in diabetic rats.