Unraveling the molecular pathobiology of vocal fold systemic dehydration using an in vivo rabbit model

The purpose of this study is to investigate if acute systemic dehydration impacts the vocal folds at the mRNA level. Rabbits were used as animal model to enable a systematic and rigorous assessment of the pathobiology of vocal fold hydration since they can be manipulated in a physiologically realistic manner. We anticipate that the results of this study will help to elucidate the effects of altered hydration state in response to furosemide on vocal fold epithelium, lamina propria and muscle tissue at the transcriptome level. Together with cellular, structural, and functional techniques that are part of this project, we expect to provide validated scientific recommendations on the adverse effects of dehydration and the therapeutic benefits of hydration. The transcriptome of vocal folds of rabbits that were acute systemically dehydrated with furosemide (5% dehydration based on body weight loss; n=6) was compared to control (euhydrated; n=4) rabbits.