Long-term exposure to high altitude hypoxia during pregnancy increases fetal heart susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion injury and cardiac dysfunction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

High altitude hypoxia (HAH) exposure affects fetal development. However, the fetal cardiovascular responses to the HAH are not well understood. We have tested the hypothesis that long-term HAH exposure alters the hypoxia/ischemia-sensitive gene expressions, leading to an increase in fetal heart susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and cardiac dysfunction.

Methods

Time-dated pregnant sheep were exposed to high-altitude (3820 m) or were maintained at sea level (~300 m) for 110 days. Fetal hearts were isolated from the near-term ewes and subjected to I/R in a Langendorff preparation.

Results

HAH decreased the fetal body and heart weights in the female but not male fetuses. HAH had no effect on the left ventricle (LV) function at baseline, but in

SUBMITTER: Zhang P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6242757 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature