Comparison of cigarette smoke-induced acute inflammation in multiple strains of mice and the effect of a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor on these responses

The activities of proteases in the lung, specifically matrix metal-loproteinases (MMPs), have been implicated in driving the in-flammation and lung destruction observed in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here, our aims were to compare the acute response with cigarette smoke exposure (CSE) in four mouse strains to identify common and distinguish-ing features and to assess the effect of an MMP inhibitor on this response. To do this, we exposed mice (BALB/C, C57BL/6, A/J, or 129/Sv) to whole-body CSE (1 h/day) for 3 days. CSE induced dose- and time-dependent increases in neutrophils and keratinocyte chemoattractant levels in the airways of all strains; however, the proportion of the neutrophilia differed among strains. In the two most contrasting strains, BALB/C and C57BL/6, we examined MMP gene expression and found onl