Effects of hypercapnia and NO synthase inhibition in sustained hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

Background

Acute respiratory disorders may lead to sustained alveolar hypoxia with hypercapnia resulting in impaired pulmonary gas exchange. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) optimizes gas exchange during local acute (0-30 min), as well as sustained (> 30 min) hypoxia by matching blood perfusion to alveolar ventilation. Hypercapnia with acidosis improves pulmonary gas exchange in repetitive conditions of acute hypoxia by potentiating HPV and preventing pulmonary endothelial dysfunction. This study investigated, if the beneficial effects of hypercapnia with acidosis are preserved during sustained hypoxia as it occurs, e.g in permissive hypercapnic ventilation in intensive care units. Furthermore, the effects of NO synthase inhibitors under such conditions were examined.

Method

We employed isolated perfused and ventilated rabbit lungs to determine the influence of hypercapnia with or without acidosis (pH corrected with sodium bicarbonate), and inhibitors of endothelial as well as inducible NO synthase on acute or sustained HPV (180 min) and endothelial permeability.

Results

In hypercapnic acidosis, HPV was intensified in sustained hypoxia, in contrast to hypercapnia without acidosis when HPV was amplified during both phases. L-N^G-Nitroarginine (L-NNA), a non-selective NO synthase inhibitor, enhanced acute as well as sustained HPV under all conditions, however, the amplification of sustained HPV induced by hypercapnia with or without acidosis compared to normocapnia disappeared. In contrast 1400 W, a selective inhibitor of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), decreased HPV in normocapnia and hypercapnia without acidosis at late time points of sustained HPV and selectively reversed the amplification of sustained HPV during hypercapnia without acidosis. Hypoxic hypercapnia without acidosis increased capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc). This increase disappeared after administration of 1400 W.

Conclusion

Hypercapnia with and without acidosis increased HPV during conditions of sustained hypoxia. The increase of sustained HPV and endothelial permeability in hypoxic hypercapnia without acidosis was iNOS dependent.     

低氧预适应增强大鼠海马神经元的耐缺氧能力

本研究对整体大鼠进行了模拟不同海拔高度（3000、5000m）的低氧预适应,然后观察了急性致死性缺氧对这些大鼠海马脑片诱发群锋电位的影响。结果显示,经低氧预适应的大鼠其海马脑片在给予急性缺氧后,CA1区缺氧损伤电位（hypoxic injury potential,HIP）出现时间以及突触前排放（presynaptic volley,PV）消失时间均明显延迟;其中5000m预适应组的延迟程度比3000m组明显。复氧后,PV的恢复率在3000m和5000m低氧预适应组均明显高于对照组。本研究结果提示,整体动物的低氧预适应可以增强离体海马脑片神经元的耐缺氧能力。     

Matrix metalloproteinases inhibition provides neuroprotection against hypoxia-ischemia in the developing brain

The present study was designed to investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the immature brain and the long term effects of early MMPs inhibition after hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury. HI was induced by unilateral ligation of the right carotid artery followed by hypoxia (8% O₂ for 2 h) in P7 rat pups. GM6001, a broad spectrum MMPs inhibitor, was injected (50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg) intraperitoneally at 2 h and 24 h after HI injury. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, brain edema, MMP-2/-9 activity, TIMP-1/-2 and tight junction protein (TJP) level were evaluated using IgG staining, Evan's blue extravasation, brain water content, zymography and western blot. Doxycycline, another MMPs inhibitor, was injected (10 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally at 2 h after HI, then BBB integrity and brain edema were measured at 48 h post-HI using brain water content measurement and IgG staining. The long-term effects of early MMPs inhibition (GM6001, 100 mg/kg) were evaluated by neurobehavioral tests, body weight, and brain atrophy measurement. GM6001 attenuated brain edema and BBB disruption at the dosage of 100 mg/kg. MMP-2 activity increased at 24 h and peaked at 48 h after HI, whereas MMP-9 activity peaked at 24 h and tapered by 48 h after HI. MMP-9/-2 activities were significantly attenuated by GM6001 at 24 h and 48 h after HI. The degradation of TJPs (ZO-1 and occludin) at 48 h after HI was reversed by GM6001 treatment. Early MMPs inhibition had long-term effects that attenuated ipsilateral brain tissue loss, and improved neurobehavioral outcomes after HI. These results suggest that early MMPs inhibition with a broad-spectrum inhibitor provides both acute and long-term neuroprotection in the developing brain by reducing TJPs degradation, preserving BBB integrity, and ameliorating brain edema after neonatal HI injury.     

Mitofusin 2 ameliorates hypoxia-induced apoptosis via mitochondrial function and signaling pathways

Mitochondrial dynamics play a critical role in mitochondrial function and signaling. Although mitochondria play a critical role in hypoxia/ischemia, the further mechanisms between mitochondrial dynamics and ischemia are still unclear. The current study aimed to determine the role of mitofusin 2, a key regulator of mitochondrial fusion, in a hypoxic model and to explore a novel strategy for cerebral ischemia via modulation of mitochondrial dynamics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate both mitochondrial function and molecular pathways to determine the role of mitofusin 2 in hypoxia-induced neuronal apoptosis. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice (male, 19–25 g) underwent a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion for 12 or 24 h (n = 6 per group). In vitro, cobalt chloride was used to mimic hypoxia in immortalized hippocampal neurons. Down- or up-regulation of Mfn2 was induced to investigate the role of Mfn2 in hypoxia, especially in mitochondrial function and signaling pathways. The findings demonstrated that decreased mitofusin 2 occurred both in vivo and in vitro hypoxic models; second, the anti-apoptotic effect of Mfn2 may work via restoration of mitochondrial function; third, the modulation of the B Cell Leukemia 2/Bcl-2 Associated X protein and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways highlight the role of Mfn2 in signaling pathways beyond fusion. In summary, depletion of mitofusin 2 would lead to apoptosis both in normal or hypoxic conditions; however, mitofusin 2 overexpression could attenuate hypoxia-induced apoptosis, which represents a potential novel strategy for neuroprotection against ischemic brain damage.     

脑缺血/缺氧预适应引起的基因、蛋白质表达谱的变化

缺血,缺氧预适应保护作用的分子机制目前尚未充分阐明。最近的研究在大鼠和小鼠脑缺血,缺氧预适应的模型上采用了基因芯片、双向电泳结合质谱分析技术,揭示了大鼠和小鼠脑缺血,缺氧预适应引起的基因和蛋白质表达谱的变化。这些研究发现预适应引起一些新的基因和蛋白质的表达发生改变,深入研究这些基因和蛋白质有可能发现治疗脑中风新的药物靶标。     

多巴胺对急性间歇性低氧诱导的大鼠颈动脉体低氧敏感性的影响

目的:观察急性间歇性低氧刺激后大鼠颈动脉体对低氧的敏感性以及多巴胺对颈动脉体低氧敏感性的影响。方法:将分离SD大鼠的颈动脉体-窦神经移入到孵育槽,然后把分离的窦神经吸入到记录的玻璃电极中行电信号记录。记录基线部分缓冲液充入气体为95%O2+5%CO2混合气,低氧应激给予5%O2+5%CO2+90%N2混合气,低氧刺激给予30 s,95%O2+5%CO2给予90 s,共10个循环,每组实验大鼠数量n大于等于5。结果:大鼠离体的颈动脉体,给予急性间歇性低氧应激,再给予低氧刺激,窦神经较之前低氧刺激放电活动增强。但加入多巴胺后,可以抑制窦神经对低氧的反应,急性间歇性低氧后,多巴胺对窦神经的低氧放电活动抑制作用加强。结论:大鼠颈动脉体给予急性间歇性低氧可增强窦神经对低氧的反应,多巴胺可抑制急性低氧诱导的颈动脉体对低氧敏感性的增强。     

哺乳动物低氧应激代谢成因的研究进展

氧气是哺乳动物机体代谢稳态维持的物质基础,若代谢过程中氧气供给不足,可造成低氧应激。目前,环境低氧、代谢性低氧和携氧细胞功能障碍是造成动物低氧应激的重要成因。目前,低氧对动物机体代谢和组织功能的影响研究主要集中于肺脏、肝脏、消化道、肌肉和乳腺等部位。若处于低氧状态的哺乳动物形成了适应低氧的代谢模式,则可维持其代谢稳态;相反,若动物无法维持低氧状态下的代谢稳态,则会导致机体氧化应激甚至病变。目前,低氧应激在家畜方面的研究主要集中于高原动物代谢适应机制;然而,泌乳期动物机体代谢速率、氧气消耗和自由基水平均较高,但氧在泌乳动物代谢应激形成中的作用及其对泌乳性能的影响,仍有待探索。综述了哺乳动物产生低氧应激的代谢成因与作用结果,旨在探讨哺乳动物低氧应激生物学基础,为进一步从低氧应激调控角度为泌乳动物的健康状况维持提供理论依据。     

Sensitive profiling of chemically diverse bioactive lipids

Here, we present an improved method for sensitive profiling of lipids in a single high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry experiment. The approach consists of i) sensitive isocratic elution, which takes advantage of C18 column material that is resistant to increased pH values induced by piperidine, ii) chemometric alignment of mass spectra followed by differential analysis of ion intensities, and iii) semiquantitative analysis of extracted ion chromatograms of interest. A key advantage of this method is its wide applicability to extracts that harbor lipids of considerable chemical complexity. The method allows qualitative and semiquantitative analysis of fatty acyls, glycerophospholipids (such as glycerophosphatidylinositols, glycerophosphatidylserines, and glycerophosphatidylcholines in brain extracts), phosphatidylinositol mannosides, acylated glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids (including ceramides and gangliosides in brain extracts), and, for the first time with ESI, prenols and mycolic acids (MAs). MAs are targets in antimycobacterial therapy, and they play an important immunomodulatory role during host-pathogen interactions. We compared high-resolution mass spectra of MAs derived from Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Camette-Guérin during entry into nonreplicative conditions induced by oxygen deprivation (hypoxic dormancy). Although the overall composition is not drastically altered, there are pronounced differences in individual MAs. alpha-MAs accumulate during entry into dormancy, whereas a subpopulation of keto-MAs is almost entirely eliminated. This effect is reversed upon resuscitation of dormant mycobacteria. These results provide detailed chemical information with relevance to drug development and immunobiology of mycobacteria.     

Ghrelin-GHSR通路在急性低氧暴露大鼠胃炎症反应中的调节作用

由胃合成分泌的食欲刺激激素（ghrelin）可通过结合并激活生长激素促分泌激素受体,（growth hormone secretagogue receptor,GHSR）在调节胃功能方面发挥重要作用。急性低氧暴露导致的消化系统营养吸收障碍和胃肠道炎症反应是否通过Ghrelin-GHSR通路调控尚无研究。本研究采用Wistar大鼠为研究对象,随机分为4组：低氧暴露0 h组、12 h组、24 h组和48 h组,低氧干预在10.2%氧浓度的低氧房中进行。干预前后记录体重;通过分子生物学检测指标评价胃组织炎症因子含量、食欲刺激激素和下丘脑GHSR mRNA相对含量和蛋白质表达水平。本研究证实,随着低氧暴露时间的延长,大鼠体重减少量逐渐增加（12 h：3.73±3.08 g、24 h：8.77±5.04 g、48 h：12.53±6.16 g）;胃组织炎症因子IL-2、IL-4、IL-10、TNFα和MCP-1蛋白含量在低氧12 h后增加（4816.9±983.7 / 9074.5±1107.8 / 18895.1±2967.5 / 37.1±9.8 / 143.5±12.5 pg/mL vs. 166.1±34.6 / 38.3±4.2 / 1429.6±123.9 / 1.7±0.3 / 13.5±2.1 pg/mL）,随着低氧时间延长,炎症因子水平逐渐下降至正常水平（24 h：846.4±94.8 / 1269.8±167.9 / 5769.7±892.6 / 7.5±2.1 / 39.3±8.5 pg/mL;48 h：546.5±97.3 / 374.9±84.9 / 1889.7±982.3 / 2.1±0.8 / 24.6±6.4 pg/mL）;低氧12 h后胃组织食欲刺激激素 mRNA水平较0 h组下降（0.49±0.06 vs. 1, P < 0.05）,48 h后上升（3.79±0.54 vs. 1, P < 0.01）,胃组织的食欲刺激激素蛋白含量在低氧24 h和48 h后均出现上升（1.23±0.15 / 1.16±0.12 vs. 1, P < 0.05）;下丘脑GHSR mRNA在低氧48 h后上升（1.99±0.29 vs. 1, P < 0.01）,蛋白质水平在低氧24 h和48 h后均出现下降（0.35±0.06 / 0.48±0.04 vs. 1, P < 0.05）。表明急性低氧暴露会导致Ghrelin-GHSR通路下调,进而促进胃组织炎症反应,而随着低氧暴露时长的延续,Ghrelin-GHSR通路可通过下调胃中炎症因子水平而避免消化系统的进一步损伤。