Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and chronic hypoxia (CH) are associated with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, may contribute to HAPH. This study assessed changes in the ADMA/NO pathway and the underlying mechanisms in...

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Main Authors: Nicole Lüneburg, Patricia Siques, Julio Brito, Karem Arriaza, Eduardo Pena, Hans Klose, Fabiola Leon-Velarde, Rainer H. Böger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Pulmonary Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6578578
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author Nicole Lüneburg
Patricia Siques
Julio Brito
Karem Arriaza
Eduardo Pena
Hans Klose
Fabiola Leon-Velarde
Rainer H. Böger
author_facet Nicole Lüneburg
Patricia Siques
Julio Brito
Karem Arriaza
Eduardo Pena
Hans Klose
Fabiola Leon-Velarde
Rainer H. Böger
author_sort Nicole Lüneburg
collection DOAJ
description Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and chronic hypoxia (CH) are associated with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, may contribute to HAPH. This study assessed changes in the ADMA/NO pathway and the underlying mechanisms in rat lungs following exposure to CIH or CH simulated in a hypobaric chamber at 428 Torr. Twenty-four adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: CIH2x2 (2 days of hypoxia/2 days of normoxia), CH, and NX (permanent normoxia), for 30 days. All analyses were performed in whole lung tissue. L-Arginine and ADMA were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Under both hypoxic conditions right ventricular hypertrophy was observed (p<0.01) and endothelial NOS mRNA increased (p<0.001), but the phosphorylated/nonphosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) ratio was unchanged. ADMA increased (p<0.001), whereas dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity decreased only under CH (p<0.05). Although arginase activity increased (p<0.001) and L-arginine exhibited no changes, the L-arginine/ADMA ratio decreased significantly (p<0.001). Moreover, NOX4 expression increased only under CH (p<0.01), but malondialdehyde (MDA) increased (up to 2-fold) equally in CIH2x2 and CH (p<0.001). Our results suggest that ADMA and oxidative stress likely reduce NO bioavailability under altitude hypoxia, which implies greater pulmonary vascular reactivity and tone, despite the more subdued effects observed under CIH.
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spelling doaj-art-d315c3faa797460faeeab735b0c450db2025-08-20T02:19:51ZengWileyPulmonary Medicine2090-18362090-18442016-01-01201610.1155/2016/65785786578578Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?Nicole Lüneburg0Patricia Siques1Julio Brito2Karem Arriaza3Eduardo Pena4Hans Klose5Fabiola Leon-Velarde6Rainer H. Böger7Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, GermanyInstitute of Health Studies, Arturo Prat University, Iquique, ChileInstitute of Health Studies, Arturo Prat University, Iquique, ChileInstitute of Health Studies, Arturo Prat University, Iquique, ChileInstitute of Health Studies, Arturo Prat University, Iquique, ChileDepartment of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, GermanyDepartment of Biological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy/IIA, Cayetano Heredia University, Lima, PeruDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, GermanyChronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and chronic hypoxia (CH) are associated with high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, may contribute to HAPH. This study assessed changes in the ADMA/NO pathway and the underlying mechanisms in rat lungs following exposure to CIH or CH simulated in a hypobaric chamber at 428 Torr. Twenty-four adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: CIH2x2 (2 days of hypoxia/2 days of normoxia), CH, and NX (permanent normoxia), for 30 days. All analyses were performed in whole lung tissue. L-Arginine and ADMA were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Under both hypoxic conditions right ventricular hypertrophy was observed (p<0.01) and endothelial NOS mRNA increased (p<0.001), but the phosphorylated/nonphosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) ratio was unchanged. ADMA increased (p<0.001), whereas dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity decreased only under CH (p<0.05). Although arginase activity increased (p<0.001) and L-arginine exhibited no changes, the L-arginine/ADMA ratio decreased significantly (p<0.001). Moreover, NOX4 expression increased only under CH (p<0.01), but malondialdehyde (MDA) increased (up to 2-fold) equally in CIH2x2 and CH (p<0.001). Our results suggest that ADMA and oxidative stress likely reduce NO bioavailability under altitude hypoxia, which implies greater pulmonary vascular reactivity and tone, despite the more subdued effects observed under CIH.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6578578
spellingShingle Nicole Lüneburg
Patricia Siques
Julio Brito
Karem Arriaza
Eduardo Pena
Hans Klose
Fabiola Leon-Velarde
Rainer H. Böger
Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
Pulmonary Medicine
title Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
title_full Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
title_fullStr Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
title_full_unstemmed Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
title_short Long-Term Chronic Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia in Rats Causes an Imbalance in the Asymmetric Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway and ROS Activity: A Possible Synergistic Mechanism for Altitude Pulmonary Hypertension?
title_sort long term chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia in rats causes an imbalance in the asymmetric dimethylarginine nitric oxide pathway and ros activity a possible synergistic mechanism for altitude pulmonary hypertension
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6578578
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