Lung aging in C57/Bl6 and BALB/c mice is characterized by defects in surfactant metabolism, increased ER stress-signalling and inflammasome formation

Introduction: Accelerated lung aging is observed in both idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We performed phenotypical analyses of lungs from aged C57/Bl6 mice (24 months, n = 15) and BALB/c mice (18 month, n = 12) in comparison to young animals of both strains (6 weeks, n = 12) in order to elucidate the mechanisms of lung aging. Methods: Murine lung tissue was analyzed by RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: H&E stainings of mouse lung sections revealed that only 35% of 24 months old mice indicated signs of slight emphysema. However, t…