Combined effects of intravenous perfluorocarbon emulsion and oxygen breathing on decompression-induced spinal cord injury in rats.

The spinal cord is one of the most commonly affected sites in decompression sickness (DCS). Alternative methods have long been sought to protect against DCS spinal cord dysfunction, especially when hyperbaric treatment is unavailable. Use of perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsion with or without oxygen breathing has shown survival benefits in DCS animal models. The effectiveness of intravenous PFC emulsion with oxygen breathing on spinal cord function was studied. Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs) and histologic examination were chosen to serve as measures. After fast decompression (203 kPa/minute) from 709 kPa (for 60 minutes), male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly received: 1) air and saline; 2) oxygen (O2) and saline; 3) O2 and PFC emulsion. The incidence and average number of abnormal SSEP waves in survival animals that received O2 and PFC emulsion were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Foci of demyelination, necrosis and round non-staining defects in white matter regions of the spinal cord could be found in severe DCS rats. We concluded that administration of PFC emulsion combined with oxygen breathing was beneficial for DCS spinal conductive dysfunction in rats.

Hydrogen Therapy may be a Novel and Effective Treatment for COPD.

The protective effect of hydrogen (H(2)) on ROS-induced diseases has been proved by many researches, which demonstrated that through eliminating •OH and •ONOO-, H(2) could effectively attenuate lipid and DNA peroxidation, improve cellular antioxidant capacity, and then protect cells against oxidant damage. Most of free radicals in human body are ROS, including O(2)•-,•OH, H(2)O(2), NO•,•ONOO-, and so on. Under normal circumstances cells are able to maintain an adequate homeostasis between the formation and removal of ROS through particular enzymatic pathways or antioxidants. But under some pathological conditions, the balance is disturbed, leading to oxidative stress and various diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studies have shown that ROS played a pivotal role in the development of COPD and some antioxidants were effective in the protection against the damaging effects of oxidative stress. Therefore, we hypothesize that owing to its peculiarity to eliminate toxic ROS, hydrogen therapy may be a novel and effective treatment for COPD.

Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning reduces the incidence of decompression sickness in rats via nitric oxide.

Divers are at risk of decompression sickness (DCS) when the ambient pressure decrease exceeds a critical threshold. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) preconditioning has been used to prevent various injuries, but the protective effect on DCS has not been well explored. To investigate the prophylactic effect of HBO2 on DCS, rats were pretreated with HBO2 (250 kPa-60 minutes) (all the pressures described here are absolute pressure) for 18 hours before a simulated air dive (700 kPa-100 minutes) with fast decompression to the surface at the rate of 200 kPa/min (n=33). During the following 30 minutes, the rats walked in a 3 m/minute rotating cage and were monitored for signs of DCS. The control rats were pretreated with normobaric air (n=30), normoxic hyperbaric nitrox (250 kPa, 8.4% O2) (n=13), or N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 30 minutes before HBO2 exposure (n=13). Nitric oxide (NO) levels were recorded immediately and 18 hours after HBO2 exposure in the brain and spinal cord. The incidence of DCS in rats pretreated with HBO2 was 30.3%, which was significantly lower than those treated with normobaric air (63.3%) (p<0.05) or hyperbaric nitrox (61.5%) (p<0.05). The onset time of DCS of the rats pretreated with HBO2 was significantly delayed compared with those treated with air (p<0.05). L-NAME nullified the HBO2 preconditioning effect. HBO2 increased NO level in the rat brain and spinal cord right after exposure; this effect was inhibited by L-NAME. Taken together, HBO2 preconditioning reduced the incidence of DCS in rats, and NO was involved in the prophylactic effect.

Mechanism of ischemic tolerance induced by hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning involves upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and erythropoietin in rats.

We studied the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) preconditioning on the molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection in a rat focal cerebral ischemic model. Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with HBO (100% O(2), 2 atmospheres absolute, 1 h once every other day for 5 sessions) or with room air. In experiment 1, HBO-preconditioned rats and matched room air controls were subjected to focal cerebral ischemia or sham surgery. Postinjury motor parameters and infarction volumes of HBO-preconditioned rats were compared with those of controls. In experiment 2, HBO-preconditioned rats and matched room air controls were killed at different time points. Brain levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and its downstream target gene erythropoietin (EPO) analyzed by Western blotting and RT-PCR as well as HIF-1alpha DNA-binding and transcriptional activities were determined in the ipsilateral hemisphere. HBO induced a marked increase in the protein expressions of HIF-1alpha and EPO and the activity of HIF-1alpha, as well as the expression of EPO mRNA. HBO preconditioning dramatically improved the neurobehavioral outcome at all time points (3.0 +/- 2.1 vs. 5.6 +/- 1.5 at 4 h, 5.0 +/- 1.8 vs. 8.8 +/- 1.4 at 8 h, 6.4 +/- 1.8 vs. 9.7 +/- 1.3 at 24 h; P < 0.01, respectively) and reduced infarction volumes (20.7 +/- 4.5 vs. 12.5 +/- 3.6%, 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining) after cerebral ischemia. This observation indicates that the neuroprotection induced by HBO preconditioning may be mediated by an upregulation of HIF-1alpha and its target gene EPO.

Immune function in rats following repetitive exposures to 7 ATA air.

INTRODUCTION: The precise action of the immunological effects associated with hyperbaric exposure is poorly understood. This study's goal was to clarify the effects and etiology of deep air dives on the immune response. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 7-ATA air for 60 min twice daily for 3 consecutive days. Several markers of immune function, the degree of stress, and oxidative stress following or during the exposures were determined. Rats exposed to 1.47-ATA oxygen or 7-ATA nitrox (0.21-ATA oxygen + 6.79-ATA nitrogen) were taken as controls. RESULTS: Peripheral lymphocytes and CD3+ and CD4+CD3+ subsets in peripheral blood and spleen, plasma interleukin-2 level, and the responses of splenic lymphocytes to concanavalin A all decreased, antioxidant enzyme activities and the concentration of reduced glutathione both decreased, while the level of malondialdehyde increased following hyperbaric air exposures. All changes returned to normal in 3-5 d. Similar changes were observed following exposures to 1.47-ATA oxygen, but not to normoxic nitrox. Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone increased after one exposure and recovered to normal levels after three exposures in rats treated with either hyperbaric or normobaric air. Pretreatment of the animals with N-acetylcysteine, a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant attenuated the effects of hyperbaric air on immune and antioxidant systems. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that repetitive exposure to 7-ATA air has a temporary immunosuppressive effect on rats, which is related to oxidative stress induced by the high partial pressure of oxygen in breathing gas.

Therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen in a rat model of endothelin-1-induced focal cerebral ischemia.

It has been established that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment reduces brain edema, decreases infarct volume, contributes to neurological functional recovery and suppresses apoptosis in suture-induced focal cerebral ischemic animal models. In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of HBO in an endothelin-1-induced focal cerebral ischemia in rats and explored the associated mechanisms of HBO-induced brain protection. One hundred twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats (280 to 320 g) were randomly assigned to sham, focal cerebral ischemia and focal cerebral ischemia treated with HBO groups. Brain water content, neurological function, morphology and molecular biological markers were assessed. HBO (100% O2, 2.5 atmosphere absolute for 2 h) was initiated at 1 h after focal cerebral ischemia. Rats were killed at 24 h to harvest tissues for Western blot or for histology. In HBO-treated animals, an enhanced ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax and a reduced expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in the hippocampus after focal cerebral ischemia were observed. These results indicate that HBO provides brain protection that is probably associated with the inhibition of HIF-1alpha and the elevation of Bcl-2.

[The state of SHP-1 and CD45 in lymphocyte under high partial pressure of oxygen].

AIM: To explore the function state of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) SHP-1 and CD45 under high partial pressure of oxygen (Po2) in lymphocyte. METHODS: Primarily cultured rat splenic lymphocytes were treated with different pressure-duration of oxygen that led to promotion or inhibition of cell function. The catalytic activities, protein expression and tyrosine phosphorylation of SHP-1 and CD45 were determined. RESULTS: The activity of SHP-1 was decreased after high Po2 treatment no matter what pressure-duration was, while the activity of CD45 was decreased only after high PoF that led to inhibition of lymphocyte function. The proteins expressed and tyrosine phosphorylation levels of two enzymes had no alteration in most treatment groups. CONCLUSION: The decrease of PTP catalytic activities might be caused by their structures modification by high Po2 induced reactive oxygen species. SHP-1 and CD45 might be one of the key points of action through which high PO2 exerts its effects on lymphocytes.

The grape component resveratrol interferes with the function of chemoattractant receptors on phagocytic leukocytes.

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) (RV) is a constituent of grape seeds with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. In this study, we examined the capacity of RV to modulate the function of G protein-coupled chemoattractant receptors, which play important roles in inflammation and immune responses. RV, over a non-cytotoxic concentration range, inhibited chemotactic and calcium mobilization responses of phagocytic cells to selected chemoattractants. At low micromolar concentrations, RV potently reduced superoxide anion production by phagocytic leukocytes in response to the bacterial chemotactic peptide fMLF, a high affinity ligand for formylpeptide receptor FPR, and A beta42, an Alzheimer's disease-associated peptide and a ligand for the FPR variant FPRL1. In addition, RV reduced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and the activation of nuclear factor NF-kappaB induced by formylpeptide receptor agonists. These results suggest that the inhibition of the function of chemoattractant receptors may contribute to the anti-inflammatory properties of RV. Thus, RV may be therapeutically promising for diseases in which activation of formylpeptide receptors contributes to the pathogenic processes.

[Experimental studies of Panax notoginseng saponins and Ginkgo biloba extracts on preventing acute oxygen toxicity].

AIM: To investigate the preventive effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) and Ginkgo biloba extracts (GbE) on acute oxygen toxicity and the possible mechanisms. METHODS: Mice were injected intraperitoneally with PNS and GbE for 5 days, then were exposed to 500 kPa hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for 60 min, the convulsion latency, times and interval were observed. Moreover, reactive oxygen (RO) unit, MDA, NO, GSH levels and GSH-Px, CAT, MAO activities of mice brain were determined after they were exposed to HBO for 15 min. RESULTS: PNS and GbE could markedly prolong the convulsion latency and interval, reduce convulsion times, decrease contents of MDA and NO in mice brain, keep RO unit, GSH and GSH-Px at higher levels, but had no effects on CAT and MAO activities. CONCLUSION: PNS and GbE could effectively prevent acute oxygen toxicity, which were related to their antioxidant activities.