Proportions of pigs with LMW HA after asphyxia and 21% vs. 100% O2 resuscitation.

The majority of control animals had HMW HA in the lung. At end of asphyxia, pigs had exclusively LMW HA, which recovered to a preponderance of HMW HA with 21% O2 resuscitation. Exposure to 100% O2 resuscitation was associated with a change from HMW to LMW HA. Treatment with NAC showed a protection of HMW HA. These data show that asphyxia and exposure to 100% O2 is associated with fragmentation of HA in the lung and that antioxidant treatment protects against this degradation in vivo.