Regulation of catecholamines by sustained and intermittent hypoxia in neuroendocrine cells and sympathetic neurons.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia, a characteristic feature of sleep-disordered breathing, induces hypertension through augmented sympathetic nerve activity and requires the presence of functional carotid body arterial chemoreceptors. In contrast, chronic sustained hypoxia does not alter blood pressure. We therefore analyzed the biosynthetic pathways of catecholamines in peripheral nervous system structures involved in the pathogenesis of intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension, namely, carotid bodies, superior cervical ganglia, and adrenal glands. Rats were exposed to either intermittent hypoxia (90 seconds of room air alternating with 90 seconds of 10% O2) or to sustained hypoxia (10% O2) for 1 to 30 days. Dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 5-hydroxytyptamine contents were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and its phosphorylated forms, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, and GTP cyclohydrolase-1 were determined by Western blot analyses. Both sustained and intermittent hypoxia significantly increased dopamine and norepinephrine content in carotid bodies but not in sympathetic ganglia or adrenal glands. In carotid bodies, both types of hypoxia augmented total levels of tyrosine hydroxylase protein and its phosphorylation on serines 19, 31, 40, as well as levels of GTP cyclohydrolase-1. However, the effects of intermittent hypoxia on catecholaminergic pathways were significantly smaller and delayed than those induced by sustained hypoxia. Thus, attenuated induction of catecholaminergic phenotype by intermittent hypoxia in carotid body may play a role in development of hypertension associated with sleep-disordered breathing. The effects of both types of hypoxia on expression of catecholaminergic enzymes in superior cervical neurons and adrenal glands were transient and small.
Department of Genome Science, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0505, USA.
Anna S
AS
Hui
Justin B
JB
Striet
Gary
G
Gudelsky
Galia K
GK
Soukhova
Evelyne
E
Gozal
Dana
D
Beitner-Johnson
Shang-Z
SZ
Guo
Leroy R
LR
Sachleben
John W
JW
Haycock
David
D
Gozal
Maria F
MF
Czyzyk-Krzeska
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D002395:Catecholamines; D006136:GTP Cyclohydrolase