Multiple-organ effect of normobaric hyperoxia in neonatal rats

PURPOSE: Prolonged exposure to normobaric hyperoxia (NH) is associated with blood leukocyte activation and sequestration in the lung. Whether NH-induced leukocyte activation and sequestration can affect extrapulmonary organs or blood cellular profile has not been systematically investigated. We studied simultaneous changes in blood cellular profile and pulmonary, renal, and intestinal histology during NH and after return to air breathing ("weaning"). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-day-old rats were exposed to 2 to 4 days of NH (FiO2 >0.98) or normoxia (FiO2 = 0.21), with or without weaning. Pups were then euthanized and 100 microL of blood was collected (cardiac puncture) for differential white blood cells analysis (n = 12 per group). The lungs, a piece of distal ileum, and the left kidney were removed for histologic evaluation. RESULTS: Both NH and weaning generated significant increases in blood neutrophil count, whereas lymphocyte population was significantly increased only after weaning (P < .05; analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons). Normobaric hyperoxia created mild increases in the renal tubular necrosis, dilation, regeneration, and interstitial inflammation. A significant increase in the intestinal serosal and submucosal vasodialation and vascularization occurred 1 day after weaning from 4 days of NH (P < .001). These extrapulmonary events coincided with the development of histologic manifestations of pulmonary oxygen toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Development of pulmonary oxygen toxicity in neonatal rats is associated with significant changes in differential leukocyte counts and histologic alterations in the kidney and ileum. We speculate that activation of circulating leukocytes and/or direct effect of NH may affect certain peripheral organs independently from the NH-induced pulmonary pathology.