Objectives: To observe the expression of cellular retinol-binding protein-1 (CRBP-1) in pulmonary tissues after rat myocardial infarction (MI) and uncover the role of CRBP-1 on the pulmonary structural remodeling.
Methods: MI was produced in male Wistar rats by left coronary ligation. Rats were sacrificed to obtain the lung at the 3(rd), 6(th), 15(th), 30(th), and 45(th) day after operation. After weighted, the rat lungs were fixed in 4% formalin and embedded in paraffin. Sections were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Masson's trichrome (MT), rabbit anti-CRBP-1 antibody.
Results: Thirty-nine Wistar rats survived and developed MI. Pulmonary tissue sections with HE and MT staining showed a remarkable lung structural remodeling. The content of pulmonary tissue collagen at the 30(rd) was higher than in the sham group (8.4% ± 3.6 vs 4.5% ± 2.6, P < 0.001). CRBP-1 expression was detected on the alveolar septa at the 3(rd) day after operation, and peaked at the 15(th) day (43.8 ± 7.4). Then the CRBP-1 expression decreased, and arrived at the level of the 3(rd) day.
Conclusions: We demonstrate that CRBP-1 is expressed temporal on the alveolar septa after rat MI. It indicates a potential relationship between CRBP-1 and lung structure remodeling process after MI.