scholarly journals Comparative analysis of neonatal and adult rat carotid body responses to chronic intermittent hypoxia

2008 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 1287-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Pawar ◽  
Ying-Jie Peng ◽  
Frank J. Jacono ◽  
Nanduri R. Prabhakar

Previous studies suggest that carotid body responses to long-term changes in environmental oxygen differ between neonates and adults. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on the carotid body differ between neonates and adult rats. Experiments were performed on neonatal (1–10 days) and adult (6–8 wk) males exposed either to CIH (9 episodes/h; 8 h/day) or to normoxia. Sensory activity was recorded from ex vivo carotid bodies. CIH augmented the hypoxic sensory response (HSR) in both groups. The magnitude of CIH-evoked hypoxic sensitization was significantly greater in neonates than in adults. Seventy-two episodes of CIH were sufficient to evoke hypoxic sensitization in neonates, whereas as many as 720 CIH episodes were required in adults, suggesting that neonatal carotid bodies are more sensitive to CIH than adult carotid bodies. CIH-induced hypoxic sensitization was reversed in adult rats after reexposure to 10 days of normoxia, whereas the effects of neonatal CIH persisted into adult life (2 mo). Acute intermittent hypoxia (IH) evoked sensory long-term facilitation of the carotid body activity (sensory LTF, i.e., increased baseline neural activity following acute IH) in CIH-exposed adults but not in neonates. The effects of CIH were associated with hyperplasia of glomus cells in neonatal but not in adult carotid bodies. These observations demonstrate that responses to CIH differ between neonates and adults with regard to the magnitude of sensitization of HSR, susceptibility to CIH, induction of sensory LTF, reversibility of the responses, and morphological remodeling of the chemoreceptor tissue.

2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 1236-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Jie Peng ◽  
Nanduri R. Prabhakar

Reflexes arising from the carotid bodies may play an important role in cardiorespiratory changes evoked by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). In the present study, we examined whether CIH affects the hypoxic sensing ability of the carotid bodies and, if so, by what mechanisms. Experiments were performed on adult male rats (Sprague-Dawley, 250–300 g) exposed to two paradigms of CIH for 10 days: 1) multiple exposures to short durations of intermittent hypoxia per day (SDIH; 15sof5%O2 + 5 min of 21% O2, 9 episodes/h, 8 h/day) and 2) single exposure to longer durations of intermittent hypoxia per day [LDIH; 4 h of hypobaric hypoxia (0.4 atm/day) + 20 h of normoxia]. Carotid body sensory response to graded isocapnic hypoxia was examined in both groups of animals under anesthetized conditions. Hypoxic sensory response was significantly enhanced in SDIH but not in LDIH animals. Similar enhancement in hypoxic sensory response was also elicited in ex vivo carotid bodies from SDIH animals, suggesting that the effects were not secondary to cardiovascular changes. SDIH, however, had no significant effect on the hypercapnic sensory response. The effects of SDIH on the hypoxic sensory response completely reversed after SDIH animals were placed in a normoxic environment for an additional 10 days. Previous treatment with systemic administration of [Formula: see text] radical scavenger prevented SDIH-induced augmentation of the hypoxic sensory response. These results demonstrate that SDIH but not LDIH results in selective augmentation of the hypoxic response of the carotid body and [Formula: see text] radicals play an important role in SDIH-induced sensitization of the carotid body.


2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 1986-1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanduri R. Prabhakar

To the majority of the population, recurrent episodes of hypoxia are more likely encountered in life than sustained hypoxia. Until recently, much of the information on the long-term effects of intermittent hypoxia has come from studies on human subjects experiencing chronic recurrent apneas. Recent development of animal models of intermittent hypoxia and techniques for exposing cell cultures to alternating cycles of hypoxia have led to new information on the effects of episodic hypoxia on oxygen-sensing mechanisms in the carotid body chemoreceptors and regulation of gene expression. The purpose of this review is to highlight some recent studies on the effects of intermittent hypoxia on oxygen sensing at the carotid bodies and regulation of gene expression. In a rodent model, chronic intermittent hypoxia selectively enhances hypoxic sensitivity of the carotid body chemoreceptors. More interestingly, chronic intermittent hypoxia also induces a novel form of plasticity in the carotid body, leading to long-term facilitation in the sensory discharge. Studies on cell cultures reveal that intermittent hypoxia is more potent in activating activator protein-1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 transcription factors than sustained hypoxia. Moreover, some evidence suggests that intermittent hypoxia utilizes intracellular signaling pathways distinct from sustained hypoxia. Reactive oxygen species generated during the reoxygenation phase of intermittent hypoxia might play a key role in the effects of intermittent hypoxia on carotid body function and gene expression. Global gene profile analysis in cell cultures suggests that certain genes are selectively affected by intermittent hypoxia, some upregulated and some downregulated. It is suggested that, in intact animals, coordinated gene regulation of gene expression might be critical for eliciting phenotypic changes in the cardiorespiratory systems in response to intermittent hypoxia. It is hoped that future studies will unravel new mechanisms that are unique to intermittent hypoxia that may lead to a better understanding of the changes in the cardiorespiratory systems and new therapies for diseases associated with chronic recurrent episodes of hypoxia.


2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (3) ◽  
pp. L524-L528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanduri R. Prabhakar ◽  
R. Douglas Fields ◽  
Tracy Baker ◽  
Eugene C. Fletcher

This symposium was organized to present research dealing with the effects of intermittent hypoxia on cardiorespiratory systems and cellular mechanisms. The pattern of neural impulse activity has been shown to be critical in the induction of genes in neuronal cells and involves distinct signaling pathways. Mechanisms associated with different patterns of intermittent hypoxia might share similar mechanisms. Chronic intermittent hypoxia selectively augments carotid body sensitivity to hypoxia and causes long-lasting activation of sensory discharge. Intermittent hypoxia also activates hypoxia-inducible factor-1. Reactive oxygen species are critical in altering carotid body function and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 activation caused by intermittent hypoxia. Blockade of serotonin function in the spinal cord prevents long-term facilitation in respiratory motor output elicited by episodic hypoxia and requires de novo protein synthesis. Chronic intermittent hypoxia leads to sustained elevation in arterial blood pressure and is associated with upregulation of catecholaminergic and renin-angiotensin systems and downregulation of nitric oxide synthases.


2004 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 2020-2025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Jie Peng ◽  
Julie Rennison ◽  
Nanduri R. Prabhakar

Carotid bodies are functionally immature at birth and exhibit poor sensitivity to hypoxia. Previous studies have shown that continuous hypoxia at birth impairs hypoxic sensing at the carotid body. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is more frequently experienced in neonatal life. Previous studies on adult animals have shown that IH facilitates hypoxic sensing at the carotid bodies. On the basis of these studies, in the present study we tested the hypothesis that neonatal IH facilitates hypoxic sensing of the carotid body and augments ventilatory response to hypoxia. Experiments were performed on 2-day-old rat pups that were exposed to 16 h of IH soon after the birth. The IH paradigm consisted of 15 s of 5% O2 (nadir) followed by 5 min of 21% O2 (9 episodes/h). In one group of experiments (IH and control, n = 6 pups each), sensory activity was recorded from ex vivo carotid bodies, and in the other (IH and control, n = 7 pups each) ventilation was monitored in unanesthetized pups by plethysmography. In control pups, sensory response of the carotid body was weak and was slow in onset (∼100 s). In contrast, carotid body sensory response to hypoxia was greater and the time course of the response was faster (∼30 s) in IH compared with control pups. The magnitude of the hypoxic ventilatory response was greater in IH compared with control pups, whereas changes in O2 consumption and CO2 production during hypoxia were comparable between both groups. The magnitude of ventilatory stimulation by hyperoxic hypercapnia (7% CO2-balance O2), however, was the same between both groups of pups. These results demonstrate that neonatal IH facilitates carotid body sensory response to hypoxia and augments hypoxic ventilatory chemoreflex.


2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (6) ◽  
pp. R1664-R1671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Reeves ◽  
Gordon S. Mitchell ◽  
David Gozal

Acute isocapnic intermittent hypoxia elicits time-dependent, serotonin-dependent enhancement of phrenic motor output in anesthetized rats (phrenic long-term facilitation, pLTF). In adult rats, pLTF is enhanced by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). To test the hypothesis that early postnatal CIH induces persistent modifications of ventilation and pLTF, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rat pups on their first day of life to a CIH profile consisting of alternating room air and 10% oxygen every 90 s for 30 days during daylight hours (RAIH) or to comparable exposures consisting of room air throughout (RARA). One month after cessation of CIH, respiratory responses were recorded using whole body plethysmography, and integrated phrenic nerve activity was recorded in urethane-anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed, and ventilated rats at baseline and after exposures to three 5-min hypoxic episodes [inspired O2 fraction (FiO2) = 0.11] separated by 5 min of hyperoxia (FiO2 = 0.5). RAIH rats displayed greater normoxic ventilation and also increased burst frequency compared with RARA rats ( P < 0.01). Ventilatory responses to hypoxia and short-term phrenic responses during acute hypoxic challenges were reduced in RAIH rats ( P < 0.01). Although pLTF was present in both RAIH and RARA rats, it was diminished in RAIH rats (minute activity: 74 ± 2% in RARA vs. 55 ± 5% in RAIH at 60 min; P < 0.01). Thus we conclude that early postnatal CIH modifies normoxic and hypoxic ventilatory and phrenic responses that persist at 1 mo after cessation of CIH (i.e., metaplasticity) and markedly differ from previously reported increased neural plasticity changes induced by CIH in adult rats.


2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. R735-R742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Pawar ◽  
Jayasri Nanduri ◽  
Guoxiang Yuan ◽  
Shakil A. Khan ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
...  

We previously reported that intermittent hypoxia (IH) augments hypoxic sensory response (HSR) and increases the number of glomus cells in neonatal carotid bodies. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that recruitment of endothelin-1 (ET-1) signaling by reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a critical role in IH-evoked changes in neonatal carotid bodies. Experiments were performed on neonatal rats exposed either to 10 days of IH (P0–P10; 8 h/day) or to normoxia. IH augmented HSR of the carotid bodies ex vivo and resulted in hyperplasia of glomus cells. The effects of IH were associated with enhanced basal release of ET-1 under normoxia, sensitization of carotid body response to exogenous ET-1, and upregulation of ETA but not an ETB receptor mRNA without altering the ET-1 content. An ETA but not ETB receptor antagonist prevented augmented HSR by IH. ROS levels were elevated in carotid bodies from IH-treated rat pups as evidenced by increased levels of malondialdehyde. Systemic administration of manganese (III) tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin pentachloride (MnTMPyP; 5 mg/kg ip), a scavenger of O2•−, prevented IH-induced elevation of ROS, basal release of ET-1, upregulation of ETA mRNA, and augmented HSR. In striking contrast, MnTMPyP treatment had no significant effect on IH-induced hyperplasia of glomus cells. These results demonstrate that IH-evoked increase in HSR involve a ROS-mediated increase in basal ET-1 release and upregulation of ETA receptor mRNA.


2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (15) ◽  
pp. 4903-4910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.- J. Peng ◽  
J. Nanduri ◽  
G. Yuan ◽  
N. Wang ◽  
E. Deneris ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 2614-2623 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Zabka ◽  
G. S. Mitchell ◽  
E. B. Olson ◽  
M. Behan

Age and the estrus cycle affect time-dependent respiratory responses to episodic hypoxia in female rats. Respiratory long-term facilitation (LTF) is enhanced in middle-aged vs. young female rats ( 72 ). We tested the hypothesis that phrenic and hypoglossal (XII) LTF are diminished in acyclic geriatric rats when fluctuating sex hormone levels no longer establish conditions that enhance LTF. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) enhances LTF ( 41 ); thus we further predicted that CIH would restore LTF in geriatric female rats. LTF was measured in young (3-4 mo) and geriatric (20-22 mo) female Sasco Sprague-Dawley rats and in a group of geriatric rats exposed to 1 wk of nocturnal CIH (11 vs. 21% O2 at 5-min intervals, 12 h/night). In anesthetized, paralyzed, vagotomized, and ventilated rats, time-dependent hypoxic phrenic and XII responses were assessed. The short-term hypoxic response was measured during the first of three 5-min episodes of isocapnic hypoxia (arterial Po2 35-45 Torr). LTF was assessed 15, 30, and 60 min postepisodic hypoxia. Phrenic and XII short-term hypoxic response was not different among groups, regardless of CIH treatment ( P > 0.05). LTF in geriatric female rats was smaller than previously reported for middle-aged rats but comparable to that in young female rats. CIH augmented phrenic and XII LTF to levels similar to those of middle-aged female rats without CIH ( P < 0.05). The magnitude of phrenic and XII LTF in all groups was inversely related to the ratio of progesterone to estradiol serum levels ( P < 0.05). Thus CIH and sex hormones influence the magnitude of LTF in geriatric female rats.


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