Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
2847323 Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology 2013 5 Pages PDF
Abstract

Recurrent apnea with intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a major clinical problem in infants born preterm. Carotid body chemo-reflex and catecholamine secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMC) are important for maintenance of cardio-respiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. This article highlights studies on the effects of IH on O2 sensing by the carotid body and AMC in neonatal rodents. Neonatal IH augments hypoxia-evoked carotid body sensory excitation and catecholamine secretion from AMC which are mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent recruitment of endothelin-1 and Ca2+ signaling, respectively. The effects of neonatal IH persist into adulthood. Evidence is emerging that neonatal IH initiates epigenetic mechanisms involving DNA hypermethylation contributing to long-lasting increase in ROS levels. Since adult human subjects born preterm exhibit higher incidence of sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension, DNA hypomethylating agents might offer a novel therapeutic intervention to decrease long-term cardio-respiratory morbidity caused by neonatal IH.

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