Enhanced epithelial sodium channel activity in neonatal Scnn1b mouse lung attenuates high oxygen-induced lung injury

Prolonged oxygen therapy leads to oxidative stress, epithelial dysfunction, and acute lung injury in preterm infants and adults. Heterozygous Scnn1b mice, which overexpress lung epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), and their wild-type (WT) C57Bl6 littermates were utilized to study the pathogenesis of high fraction inspired oxygen ([Formula: see text])-induced lung injury. Exposure to high [Formula: see text] from birth to postnatal (PN) day 11 was used to model oxidative stress. Chronic exposure of newborn pups to 85% O2 increased glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and elevated the GSH/GSSG redox potential (Eh) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Longitudinal X-ray imaging and Evans blue-labeled-albumin assays showed that chronic 85% O2 and acute GSSG (400 µM) exposures decreased alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) in the WT lung. Morphometric analysis of WT pups insufflated with GSSG (400 µM) or amiloride (1 µM) showed a reduction in alveologenesis and increased lung injury compared with age-matched control pups. The Scnn1b mouse lung phenotype was not further aggravated by chronic 85% O2 exposure. These outcomes support the hypothesis that exposure to hyperoxia increases GSSG, resulting in reduced lung fluid reabsorption due to inhibition of amiloride-sensitive ENaC. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH2; 10 µM) was effective in recycling GSSG in vivo and promoted alveologenesis, but did not impact AFC nor attenuate fibrosis following high [Formula: see text] exposure. In conclusion, the data indicate that FADH2 may be pivotal for normal lung development, and show that ENaC is a key factor in promoting alveologenesis, sustaining AFC, and attenuating fibrotic lung injury caused by prolonged oxygen therapy in WT mice.