ABSTRACT
Objective To investigated the effects of intermittent hypoxia on neuronal apoptosis and autophagy in hippocampus.Methods 30 Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC),intermittent normoxia group (IN) and intermittent hypoxia group (IH).The spatial learning and memory function of the rat was assessed using Morris water maze test.The apoptotic cells and the ultrastructure of neurons in the hippocampus tissue were observed by TUNEL and transmission electron microscope,respectively.And the expression of autophagy marker protein LC3 and Beclin-1 were measured by Western blotting.Results The escape latency was significantly longer in IH than in NC and IN group.And the ratio of time spent in the target quadrant was lower in the IH group than in NC and IN group (P＜0.05).The apoptotic rate of rat hippocampal neurons (F =6.01,P=0.037),the amount of double-layer membrane structure-complicating autophagic vacuoles with karyopyknosis,and protein expression level of LC3 and Beclin-1 were significantly higher (all P ＜0.05) in intermittent hypoxia group than in IN and NC group.Conclusions Intermittent hypoxiainduced autophagy and apoptosis in rat hippocampus are significantly increased,which might be one of the possible mechanisms for cognitive dysfunction caused by intermittent hypoxia.