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Unraveling premature breathing and apneas of prematurity in mice
Author(s) -
Koschnitzky Jenna E,
Smith Charles V,
Ramirez Jan Marino
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.720.7
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , plethysmograph , gestational age , breathing , room air distribution , respiration , physiology , endocrinology , anesthesia , pregnancy , biology , anatomy , genetics , physics , thermodynamics
We used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce preterm birth in mice and then characterized breathing using both plethysmography and in vitro brainstem slices containing the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC). LPS was injected (5μg i.p.) at gestational day 17.5 (G17.5). Labor commenced on G18.5, one day early. The pups fell into one of three categories: stillborn, died soon after birth, or survived. Of the pups that died soon after birth, the breathing patterns consisted of large, very infrequent inspirations. Pups that survived went through a progression of breathing patterns which resulted in normal breathing within 60 minutes. In vitro extracellular recordings of the preBötC in pups with breathing patterns indicative of imminent death showed slow, irregular burst patterns while pups that breathed normally had burst patterns similar to control mice born at G19.5. In these pups, daily plethysmograph recordings showed that the occurrence of apneas ceased at G20.5 in LPS pups compared to G21.5 in control pups (P2 in all animals). Control pups were also compared to control pups that failed to thrive (FtT) at P1. The FtT group never achieved normal weight and had severe apneas that continued until P5. These deficits do not appear to be associated with abnormal preBötC function. The results indicate that preBötC function is associated with survival of preterm mice while apneas associated with FtT are independent of the preBötC.