Lipid peroxidation parameters in the internal organs of rats with different degrees of resistance to hypoxia

Lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant system of the heart, liver, and brain are studied in adult male Wistar rats with high and low resistance to hypoxia tested by “raising” to an altitude of 11.5 km and in intact outbred rats. These parameters are found to be the same in the brain of low- and high-resistance rats, while the brain content of lipid peroxidation products is higher in both groups of Wistar rats compared with outbred rats. The heart and liver parameters are coupled to the resistance to hypoxia. Antioxidant activity prevails over lipid peroxidation in the hearts and livers of high-resistance rats, confirming that oxidation plays a major role in the damaging and lethal effects of acute hypoxia. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 1, pp 26–29, January, 1996 Presented by A. I. Archakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effect of various oxygen concentrations on the ATP content in isolated hepatocytes of rats adapted and nonadapted to hypoxia

It is shown that isolated hepatocytes are capable of perceiving slight changes in the envioronmental oxygen concentration. A complicated phase dependence exists between adenosine triphosphate and partial oxygen pressure, which differs in cells from animals with high and low resistance to hypoxia, the former showing a more stable and resistant energy-synthesizing function than the latter. After long-term adaptation to periodic hypoxia, the resistance of the energy-synthesizing function rises in hepatocytes from high-resistant animals, and falls in low-resistant animals suggesting a fundamentally different organization of the emergency compensatory mechanisms of the energy-synthesizing function in hepatocytes of animals of these two types. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 12, pp. 576–581, December, 1994     

Effects of adaptation to intermittent hypoxia on oxidative phosphorylation in brain mitochondria of rats with different sensitivities toward oxygen deficiency

After long-term adaptation to intermittent hypoxia, rats with an initially low resistance to acute oxygen deficiency were 2 to 4 times more resistant to it, while highly resistant rats did not show a significant change in resistance. The adaptation was accompanied by weakening of the electron-transporting function of the respiratory chain and increasing efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation in the brain mitochondria oxidizing NAD-dependent substrates, indicating that energy was produced in a more economical way. The succinate oxidase pathway of oxidation was found to be utilized to only a limited extent as a compensatory mechanism in animals exposed to intermittent hypoxia over a prolonged period. The effects of adaptation were more marked in the brain mitochondria of rats initially highly sensitive to oxygen deficiency. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 12, pp. 572–575, December, 1995     

Comparison of lipid peroxidation parameters in the heart,liver, and brain of rats with different degrees of resistance to hypoxia

The relationship between the intensity of lipid peroxidation and the activity of the antioxidant system in the heart, liver, and brain is studied in male Wistar rats with low and high resistance to hypoxia tested by being “raised” to an altitude of 11.5 km and in intact outbred rats. It is found that in all groups of rats the content of lipid peroxidation products is highest in the liver, lower in the heart, and lowest in the brain. In all groups, the rate of the ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation is highest in the brain, lower in the liver, and lowest in the heart. The activity of the antioxidant system is highest in the brain, lower in the liver, and lowest in the heart of low-resistance and outbred rats, while in high-resistance rats it is the same in all the organs. Thus, the difference in the parameters of lipid peroxidation and, particularly, of the antioxidant system in the studied organs is most pronounced in rats with a low resistance to hypoxia. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 121, N ^o 2, pp. 138–143, February, 1996 Presented by A. I. Archakov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Effects of adaptation to hypoxia on cytochrome levels in the brain and liver of rats

After a prolonged (for 30 days) adaptation of rats to intermittent hypoxia, their brains contained lowered levels of mitochondrial cytochromes, despite an increase in the number of mitochondria in the brain tissue mass, along with similar levels of high-energy compounds and more protein as compaired to the brains of unadapted controls. A mitochondrial population with novel properties presumably emerged in the brain. These effects were all more strongly marked in rats with an initially low resistance to hypoxia. In the liver of hypoxiaadapted animals, unlike in their brain, cytochrome levels in the mitochondrial and microsomal redox chains were lowered and the biogenesis of mitochondria was much less intensive. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 12, pp. 576–579, December, 1995     

Role of glycolysis in the maintenance of the energy-synthesizing function of hepatocytes from rats adapted and nonadapted to hypoxia at different oxygen concentrations

It is demonstrated that the lactate-Po₂ dependence is the same in hepatocytes of rats with high and low resistance to hypoxia and does not correlate with phasic changes in the ATP concentration in the 890–50 μM O₂ region. Strong activation of lactate formation against the background of ATP decrease indicates that glycolysis is not the major mechanism determining the steady-state ATP level in the cell and affecting the ATP-Po₂ relationship in a wide range of oxygen concentrations. The intensity of glycolysis in hepatocytes of rats with high resistance to hypoxia is markedly increased after periodic adaptation to hypoxia but remains practically unchanged in the hepatocytes of low-resistance rats. This indicates that fundamentally different compensatory mechanisms are involved in this process in the liver of high- and low-resistance rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 1, pp. 28–32, January, 1995     

Changes in hemodynamics and respiration in animals with different resistance to acute hypoxia

We studied the effects of acute hypoxia on hemodynamics and respiration in cats. The animals were divided into high-, low- and medium-resistant to hypoxia by the time of respiratory arrest after breathing with 3% O₂ gas mixture. In high-resistant animals, hemodynamic indices remained at a high level throughout the hypoxic episode, while in low-resistant cats they decreased shortly after the onset of hypoxia. It is suggested that the peculiarities of hemodynamic regulation play an important role in individual resistance to acute hypoxia. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 128, No. 9, pp. 286–290, September, 1999     

Antihypoxic effects of derivative on the EEG power spectra in rats with different susceptibility to oxygen deficiency

The succinate-containing hydroxypyridine derivative yancarb increases both the altitude tolerated by rats and their survival time at a high altitude, particularly in rats with low resistance to hypobaric hypoxia; it also prevents both phasic changes in the EEG characteristic of hypobaric hypoxia and hemispheric asymmetry and paroxysmal activity in the brain of highly resistant rats in the 5000–10,000 m range and in rats with low resistance in the 5000–11,000 m range. Antihypoxic effects of this substance are more pronounced in low-resistance rats and in the left hemisphere of both high- and low-resistant animals; in altitude range of 10,000–13,000 m these effects are weaker or absent. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 124, No. 7, pp. 57–62, July, 1997     

Individual resistance of the organism and nerve cell to hypoxia

The correlation between the pattern of a neuron's reaction to acute hypoxia and individual resistance to oxygen deficit is studied on ratsin vivo as well as on surviving slices of their cerebellumin vitro. According to the survival time in a pressure chamber simulating an altitude of 11 km all the rats were divided into groups of high resistance, medium resistance, and low resistance to hypoxia. Survival time was 4.2 times longer in the high resistance group than in the low resistance group. In the cerebellar slices of high resistance animals 61.5% high-resistance neurons and 38.5% low-resistance neurons were recorded. On the other hand, in the high resistance animals the percentage of high-resistance neurons and low-resistance neurons was 31.2 and 68.8, respectively. The period of hypoxia development was 4.32 times longer in the high-resistance neurons as compared to low-resistance neurons. It is speculated that individual differences in the resistance to O₂ deficit are of a hereditary nature and manifest themselves not only on the level of the whole organism, but also in the individual nerve cell. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 454–457, November, 1994     

Behavioral peculiarities and reactions of brain dopaminergic systems in rats with different resistance to acute hypobaric hypoxia

Locomotor activity in the open field test did not correlate with rat resistance to acute hypobaric hypoxia; there was a correlation between this resistance and rat behavior during acute stress. Immobility was characteristic of rats with low and particularly medium resistance to hypoxia; this reaction can be abolished by antidepressants. By contrast, highly resistant rats were mainly hyperactive. The resistance to hypoxia was associated with extreme parameters of dopaminergic neuron functioning. In low-resistant rats locomotor stereotypia was maximal, while perioral stereotypia was the minimal; highly resistant rats were characterized by an opposite pattern, and medium-resistant rats occupied an intermediate position. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 130, No. 9, pp. 275–278, September, 2000     

Protective effect of adaptation to hypoxia and its prolongation by pharmacological agents in rats prone to audiogenic epilepsy

Cytophotometric determination of RNA in various brain structures of hypoxia-adapted and unadapted epilepsy-prone rats at different times after an epileptic seizure shows much smaller decreases in RNA levels and their much more rapid return to normal in the adapted than in the unadapted rats. The adaptation to hypoxia produces a marked anticonvulsive effect, and this effect is enhanced and prolonged considerably by pharmacotherapy. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 2, pp. 120–123, February, 1994     

Effect of prenatal hypoxia on DNA synthesis in the tracheal epithelium and LPO-AOD system in the lungs of newborn rats

Newborn rats euthanized 24 h after birth were examined. The rats were born to females exposed to chronic hypobaric hypoxia on days 14–19 of gestation. The index of nuclei labeled with³H-thymidine in the tracheal epithelium of newborn rats exposed to prenatal hypoxia was 3 times lower than in the control. The LPO level was higher in posthypoxic animals than in intact rats. Prenatal hypoxia led to the suppression of antioxidant defense in the lungs of newborn rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 531–533, May, 1994     

Criteria of individual and population-wide resistance to acute hypoxia

It is shown that the geometric mean of survival time and the deviation of σ from τ are measures of a population's resistance to acute hypoxia; that a measure of the individual resistance of an animal to such hypoxia is Student's parameter for that animal; that the distribution of Student's parameter in a population is a lognormal distribution under any conditions; and that the number of animals with low resistance is always equal to the number of highly resistant animals. The procedure described makes it possible to limit the number of animals used in an experiment by recording with the requisite accuracy the proposed measures of resistance to acute hypoxia at the population and individual levels. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 120, N ^o 9, pp. 239–241, September, 1995     

Structural and functional changes in the brain of rats with different behavioral types at later stages of circulatory hypoxia

Structural changes in the brain were studied at later (one and three months) stages of cerebral hypoxia caused by occlusion of the common carotid arteries, which were indicative of the development of recovery and destructive processes. Brain ultrastructure was found to be better preserved in rats with an active type of behavior one month after the onset of ischemia than in rats of the other groups; motor activity was restored to the baseline level, thus demonstrating a higher rate of recovery processes. Significant ultrastructural damage to the brain at the same stage of ischemia was observed in rats with a passive type of behavior (especially in rats of the middle group), while motor activity was increased. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 11, pp. 529–534, November, 1994 Presented by P. V. Simonov, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences     

Changes in hypoxia resistance in rats during daytime

The resistance to acute hypoxia in male Wistar rats was evaluated by the period of survival after exposure to high-altitude hypoxia (11.5 km above see level). The study was performed during daytime (13.00–21.00) in autumn. The fatal rat population was characterized by the log-normal distribution of survival periods. The rats with low and moderate resistance to hypoxia exhibited similar diurnal variations in it with gradual decrease by the end of daytime more pronounced in low-resistant rats. The rats with high resistance showed relatively constant resistance to hypoxia which decreased only at 21:00. All groups revealed a relatively stable resistance to hypoxia from 16:00 to 18:00. These variations in the resistance to hypoxia should be taken into consideration when planning experimental research. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 127, No. 3, pp. 256–260, March 1999     

Content of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and adenosine triphosphate in erythrocytes and the acid-base balance in adult and newborn rats during acute hypoxia

It is shown that in deep acute hypoxic hypoxia the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate content is reduced and the adenosine triphosphate content unchanged in the erythrocytes of newborn rats. Under the same conditions adult animals show an increase of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and a drop in the adenosine triphosphate content in the erythrocytes. The importance of these changes is discussed in terms of the mechanisms regulating the oxygen-transporting function of erythrocytes during acute hypoxic hypoxia in newborn and adult animals. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 631–633, June, 1995 Presented by M. Ya. Studenikin, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Rat brain gangliosides during hypoxia

The content and composition of rat brain gangliosides in various forms of hypoxia is studied. The content of lipid-bound sialic acid is found to be considerably elevated in the earliest stages of hypoxia combined with hypercapnia and cooling. The content of gangliosides remains elevated over the hypoxia period and returns to control values 48 hours after its discontinuation. Repeated hypoxia results in the same changes in rat brain gangliosides. Hemic sodium nitrite-induced hypoxia also leads to a reliable elevation of these lipids. Hypoxia also causes changes in the content of individual ganglioside fractions: a decreased content of mono- and an increased content of polysialogangliosides. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 7 pp. 19–21, July, 1994 Presented by A. N. Klimov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

The use of a nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog and of hydra peptide morphogen for the correction of proliferation disturbances in tracheal epithelium and of LPO processes in lungs of newborn rats exposed to prenatal hypoxia

Newborn rats were born of females exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. Pregnant females were injected i.p. either nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog or hydra peptide morphogen 10 μg/kg 30 min prior to being placed in a pressure chamber. Prenatal hypoxia causes the inhibition of the proliferative processes in tracheal epithelium and activation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in lungs of newborn rats. The administration of nonopiate leu-enkephalin analog prevents the development of posthypoxic alterations in newborn rats. The administration of hydra peptide morphogen inhibits the proliferation of tracheal epithelium and lowers the activity of the antioxidant defense of the lungs in newborn rats. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 117, N ^o 5, pp. 535–537, May, 1994 Presented by Yu. A. Romanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Adaptation to altitude hypoxia limits lipid peroxidation during inflammation and stress

Preadaptation of rats to altitude hypoxia results in reduced activation of lipid peroxidation during subsequent stress, inflammation, or both, as compared to hypoxiaunadapted animals, with the result that secondary changes in organs and tissues of adapted rats are much less pronounced and conditions are created for alleviating the acute inflammation and the stress reaction. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 590–593, June, 1995 Presented by E. D. Gol'dberg, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences     

Impact of twelve-day combined exposure to hypobaric hypoxia and physical exercise on structural and metabolic characteristics of skeletal muscle in rats

This study, in which rats were exposed on 12 successive days to hypoxia in combination with exercise on a treadmill, showed that a reduction in partial oxygen pressure leads to a decrease in the magnitude of the structural component of vascular resistance rather than to improvement in the system of oxygen utilization, and that such combined exposure may cause alterations in protein synthesis and result in early stimulation of capillary growth in muscles, as well as elicit differential changes of enzyme activity in different types of muscle fibers. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 119, N ^o 6, pp. 602–605, June, 1995 Presented by A. I. Grigor'ev, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences