Innovative Rat Model Promises Progress in COPD-Related Cor Pulmonale Research

Researchers have developed an innovative rat model that effectively mimics the pathological and physiological features of human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by cor pulmonale. This new model demonstrates key disease characteristics such as sustained lung inflammation, increased pulmonary artery pressure, and right ventricular hypertrophy, providing a valuable tool for in-depth study.

The study, published in The American Journal of Pathology (2025), explores the potential of this model to unravel complex interactions between lung pathology and cardiac remodeling. COPD remains a leading cause of morbidity, with the World Health Organization ranking it as the third top cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 3.23 million deaths in 2019. A significant subset of COPD patients—about 6% annually—develops cor pulmonale, a condition resulting from pulmonary hypertension that leads to right heart failure, worsening patient outcomes.

Current therapeutic options are insufficient, partly due to the lack of animal models accurately replicating the disease's multidimensional pathology. To address this gap, lead researcher Tao Wang and colleagues combined chronic cigarette smoke exposure with left pulmonary artery ligation in rats. The resulting model exhibited classic COPD symptoms like emphysema and lung inflammation, as well as hallmark features of cor pulmonale, including right ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis, capillary loss, and hemodynamic changes associated with pulmonary hypertension.

Further analysis revealed that inflammation pathways and oxidative stress might contribute significantly to disease progression, making them promising targets for future therapies. Co-lead investigator Lingdan Chen emphasized that this model is a crucial step forward, enabling a better understanding of underlying mechanisms and aiding the development of more effective treatments.

Overall, this novel rat model offers a powerful platform to accelerate research into COPD-associated cor pulmonale, with the potential to discover new molecular targets and improve therapeutic strategies for affected patients.