Gender differences in the long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia on pulmonary circulation in rats

Some effects of perinatal hypoxia on pulmonary circulation are permanent. Since pulmonary vascular sensitivity to hypoxia in adults differs between sexes, we hypothesized that gender-based variability also exists in the long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia. Rats spent 1 wk before and 1 wk after bi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology 2003-08, Vol.29 (2), p.L386-L392
Main Authors: HAMPL, Vaclav, BIBOVA, Jana, OST'ADALOVA, Ivana, POVYSILOVA, Viera, HERGET, Jan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Gender differences
Medical sciences
Pneumology
Pulmonary arteries
Pulmonary hypertension. Acute cor pulmonale. Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary vascular diseases
Rodents
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Summary:Some effects of perinatal hypoxia on pulmonary circulation are permanent. Since pulmonary vascular sensitivity to hypoxia in adults differs between sexes, we hypothesized that gender-based variability also exists in the long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia. Rats spent 1 wk before and 1 wk after birth in hypoxia (12% O2) and then lived in normoxia. When adult, females, but not males, with the perinatal experience of hypoxia had right ventricle hypertrophy. To assess the role of sex hormones, some rats were gonadectomized in ether anesthesia as newborns. Compared with intact, perinatally normoxic controls, muscularization of peripheral pulmonary vessels in adulthood was augmented in perinatally hypoxic, neonatally gonadectomized males (by 85%) and much more so in females (by 533%). Pulmonary artery pressure was elevated in perinatally hypoxic, neonatally gonadectomized females (24.4 +/- 1.7 mmHg) but not males (17.2 +/- 0.6 mmHg). Gonadectomy in adulthood had no effect. We conclude that female pulmonary circulation is more sensitive to late effects of perinatal hypoxia, and these effects are blunted by the presence of ovaries during maturation. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1040-0605
1522-1504