Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A Gunn rat model of preterm hyperbilirubinemia.
- Journal:
- Pediatric research
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Waddell, Jaylyn et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Pediatrics · United States
- Species:
- rodent
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The impact of bilirubin in preterm infants is poorly understood. An animal model would assist in improving understanding. The Gunn rat lacks uridine diphosphate-glucuronylsyl transferase 1 and can be made acutely hyperbilirubinemic by injection of sulfodimethoxine (sulfa), a drug that displaces bilirubin from albumin and thus increases free bilirubin. METHODS: On postnatal day (P) 5, Gunn rats either heterozygous (Nj) or homozygous (jj) for glucuronosyltransferase activity were injected with either saline or sulfa. Behavior and cerebellar weight were measured. RESULTS: Pups did not show any signs of acute bilirubin encephalopathy. Pup weight dropped significantly on P8 only in the jj-sulfa group. Behavior was affected only in the jj-sulfa group. Cerebellar weight was significantly less in the jj-sulfa group. CONCLUSION: The Gunn rat pup model may be a good model to study hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578041/