Heart and lung alterations in neonatal rats exposed to CO or high altitude

Abstract

We wished to determine whether cardiac changes produced by CO are related to the development of pulmonary hypertension and whether they are specific for CO or also occur with high-altitude exposure. Newborn male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 500 ppm CO for 32 days (CO) at Detroit, MI or to 11,500-ft simulated altitude at Fort Collins, CO (barometric pressure 495 Torr; 11K); ambient air controls were maintained at Detroit (657 ft, 200 m; AIR) and at Fort Collins (5,000 ft, 1,524 m; 5K). Rats were maintained at Fort Collins after 34 days of age. Hematocrit was elevated to a greater extent in the CO than in the 11K group 2 days postexposure; however, no differences existed 40, 76, or 112 days postexposure. Right ventricle (RV) and left ventricle plus septum (LV + S) mass in CO rats were increased 38.0 and 37.4%, respectively, relative to the AIR group 2 days after CO exposure; RV and LV + S in the 11K group were increased 55.7 and 9.3%, respectively, relative to the 5K group. Cardiac hypertrophy declined in the CO and 11K groups postexposure but remained significant for the RV, reaching 20.7% above the AIR group (CO) and 29.7% above the 5K group (11K) at 145 days of age. By use of an in vitro preparation, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary arterial pressure were significantly increased immediately after altitude but not after CO exposure and remained elevated in adulthood after altitude exposure. PVR was correlated with hematocrit in altitude- but not in CO-exposed rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Expression of heme oxygenase-1 in the lung in chronic hypoxia

“…Less is known about the role of CO in modulating the response to chronic hypoxia. A possible role for CO is suggested by a study (19) of neonatal rats showing that exposure to low inspired CO prevents development of HPV. In vitro data also suggest that CO has antiproliferative effects in vascular smooth muscle (14).…”

Carbon Monoxide: Endogenous Production, Physiological Functions, and Pharmacological Applications

“…In contrast, low concentrations of CO do not alter the hypoxia induced pulmonary vasoconstriction in isolated rat lungs (Cantrell and Tucker, 1995). Penney et al (1992) showed that after exposure of neonatal rats to CO the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension was delayed.…”