Long-term facilitation of catecholamine secretion from adrenal chromaffin cells of neonatal rats by chronic intermittent hypoxia

In neonates, catecholamine (CA) secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMC) is an important mechanism for maintaining homeostasis during hypoxia. Nearly 90% of premature infants experience chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) because of high incidence of apnea of prematurity, which is characterized by periodic stoppage of breathing. The present study examined the effects of repetitive hypoxia, designed to mimic apnea of prematurity, on CA release from AMC of neonatal rats. Neonatal rats were exposed to either control conditions or chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) from ages postnatal days 0–5 (P0–P5), and CA release from adrenal medullary slices was measured after challenge with repetitive hypoxia (5 episodes of 30-s hypoxia, Po 2 ~35 mmHg). In response to repetitive hypoxia, chronic IH-treated AMC exhibited sustained CA release, and this phenotype was not seen in control AMC. The sustained CA release was associated with long-lasting elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ), which was due to store-operated Ca 2+ entry (SOCE). 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inhibitor of SOCE, prevented the long-lasting [Ca 2+ ] i elevation and CA release. Repetitive hypoxia increased H 2 O 2 abundance, and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-catalase, a scavenger of H 2 O 2 blocked this effect. PEG-catalase also prevented repetitive hypoxia-induced SOCE activation, sustained [Ca 2+ ] i elevation, and CA release. These results demonstrate that repetitive hypoxia induces long-term facilitation of CA release in chronic IH-treated neonatal rat AMC through sustained Ca 2+ influx mediated by SOCE. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Apnea of prematurity and the resulting chronic intermittent hypoxia are major clinical problems in neonates born preterm. Catecholamine release from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells maintains homeostasis during hypoxia in neonates. Our results demonstrate that chronic intermittent hypoxia induces a hitherto uncharacterized long-term facilitation of catecholamine secretion from neonatal rat chromaffin cells in response to repetitive hypoxia, simulating hypoxic episodes encountered during apnea of prematurity. The sustained catecholamine secretion might contribute to cardiovascular morbidities in infants with apnea of prematurity.