Pulmonary vascular responsiveness in rats following neonatal exposure to high altitude or carbon monoxide

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Experimental Lung Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3109/01902149309064366· OSTI ID:7075110

Tucker, A; Penney, D G ^[1]

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1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States) Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States)

Exposure of adult and neonatal rats to high altitude increases pulmonary vascular responsiveness during the exposure. A study was undertaken to determine if a short exposure of neonatal rats to either high-altitude or carbon monoxide (CO) hypoxia would cause persistent alterations in pulmonary vascular responsiveness postexposure. One-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were obtained as 16 litters of 10-12 pups each. At 2 days of age, 4 litters were exposed to CO (500 ppm) for 32 days, and 4 litters were exposed to ambient air (AIR) in Detroit (200 m). Another 4 litters were exposed to 3500 m altitude (ALT) in a chamber for 32 days, and 3 litters were exposed to ambient conditions in Fort Collins (CON, 1524 m). After the exposures, all rats were maintained at 1524 m. At 2, 40, 76 and 112 days postexposure, lungs were isolated and perfused with Earle's salt solution (+Ficoll, 4 g%). Pulmonary vascular responsiveness was assessed by dose responses to angiotensin II (AII, 0.025-0.40 [mu]g) and acute hypoxia (3% O[sub 2] for 3 min). AII responses were higher in ALT vs CON rats at 2 and 40 days postexposure, but no differences were noted between CO and AIR rats. Baseline pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial pressure (in isolated lungs) were higher in ALT rats at all four ages compared to the other three groups. Both the ALT and CO rats displayed hypertrophy of the right ventricle (RV) and the left ventricle (LV) at the termination of treatment and elevated hematocrit. LV hypertrophy and polycythemia regressed with time, but RV hypertrophy remained significant in the ALT rats through 112 days postexposure. The results indicate that neonatal exposure to ALT, but no CO, causes a persistent increase in pulmonary vascular responsiveness and RV hypertrophy for at least 112 days after termination of the exposure. 40 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 7075110
• Journal Information: Experimental Lung Research; (United States), Vol. 19:6; ISSN 0190-2148
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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