Premium
Vessel Reactivity and Blood Flow in Rats Exposed to Neonatal Supplemental Oxygen
Author(s) -
Vellookunnel Shilpa,
Chandrasekar Shreya,
Sturgeon Madison,
Murphy Austin,
Hoover Michael,
Bates Melissa
Publication year - 2017
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.31.1_supplement.841.19
Subject(s) - room air distribution , hypoxia (environmental) , hypercapnia , medicine , blood flow , kidney , vasodilation , oxygen , endocrinology , physiology , anesthesia , chemistry , respiratory system , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics
Premature babies make up 12.8% of live births per year. Because their lungs are poorly developed, supplemental oxygen is a necessary treatment. Recent studies in our laboratory in a rat model of prematurity show that aortic pulse wave velocities were higher in rats exposed to neonatal supplemental oxygen, indicating significant aortic stiffening. This study aims to determine if supplemental oxygen also affects the downstream vasculature reactivity. We hypothesized that exposure to supplemental oxygen during the neonatal period will decrease vessel reactivity and we will observe smaller changes in blood flow with hypoxic and hypercapnic (vasodilator) challenges. Twelve month old rats exposed to 80% and 21% oxygen for eight days during the neonatal period were ventilated with hypoxia (12% O 2 ), hypercapnia (5% CO 2 ), and room air in the lab. After 10 minutes of exposure, 10 μm neutron‐activated BioPAL microspheres were injected into the left ventricle and allowed to circulate. The brain, liver, kidneys, spleen and heart were removed, hydrolyzed, and vacuum filtered. Microspheres were used to quantify changes in visceral blood flow. 80% O 2 exposed rats and 21% O 2 rats showed no significant difference in change in blood flow to the kidney, but further brain and visceral vascular beds are still to be measured. If a significant difference is found in the other vasculature, this would suggest supplemental oxygen exposure would decrease vessel reactivity in premature infants. Support or Funding Information The University of Iowa Start‐Up Fund