Combined HRAS and NRAS ablation induces a RASopathy phenotype in mice.

Background: HRAS/NRAS double knockout mice exhibit exceedingly high rates of perinatal lethality due to respiratory failure caused by a significant lung maturation delay. The few animals that reach adulthood have a normal lifespan, but present areas of atelectasis mixed with patches of emphysema and normal tissue in the lung.

Methods: Eight double knockout and eight control mice were analyzed using micro-X-ray computerized tomography and a Small Animal Physiological Monitoring system.