Effects of iron-chelators on ion-channels and HIF-1alpha in the carotid body

Acute hypoxia instantaneously increases the chemosensory discharge from the carotid body, increasing ventilation mostly by inhibiting the oxygen sensitive ion channels and exciting the mitochondrial functions in the glomus cells. On the other hand, Fe2+-chelation mimics hypoxia by inhibiting the prolyl hydroxylases and the degradation of HIF-1alpha in non-excitable cells. Whether Fe2+-chelation can inhibit the ion channels giving rise to the sensory responses in excitable cells was the question. We characterized the responses to Fe2+-chelators on excitable glomus cells of the rat, and found that they instantaneously blocked the ion-channels, exciting the chemosensory discharge, and later causing a gradual accumulation of HIF-1alpha. Although initiated by the same stimuli, the two effects (on ion channels and cytosolic HIF-1alpha) possibly occurred by two different mechanisms.