OBJECTIVETo establish a neonatal pig model of hemolytic jaundice.

METHODSTwelve seven-day-old purebred Yorkshire pigs were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group (n=6 each). Immunization of New Zealand white rabbits was used to prepare rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell antibodies, and rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum was separated. The neonatal pigs in the experimental group were given an intravenous injection of rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum (5 mL), and those in the control group were given an intravenous injection of normal saline (5 mL). Venous blood samples were collected every 6 hours for routine blood test and liver function evaluation.

RESULTSThe experimental group had a significantly higher serum bilirubin level than the control group at 18 hours after the injection of rabbit anti-porcine red blood cell serum (64±30 μmol/L vs 20±4 μmol/L; P<0.05). In the experimental group, the serum bilirubin level reached the peak at 48 hours (275±31 μmol/L), and decreased significantly at 96 hours after the injection (95±17 μmol/L), but all significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). At 18 hours after the injection, the experimental group had a significantly lower red blood cell (RBC) count than the control group [(4.58±0.32)×10(12)/L vs (5.09±0.44)×10(12)/L; P<0.05]; at 24 hours, the experimental group showed further reductions in RBC count and hemoglobin level and had significantly lower RBC count and hemoglobin level than the control group [RBC: (4.21±0.24)×10(12)/L vs (5.11±0.39)×10(12)/L, P<0.05; hemoglobin: 87±3 g vs 97±6 g, P<0.05]. The differences in RBC count and hemoglobin level between the two groups were largest at 36-48 hours.

CONCLUSIONSThe neonatal pig model of hemolytic jaundice simulates the pathological process of human hemolytic jaundice well and provides good biological and material bases for further investigation of neonatal hemolysis.