[Relationship between central beta-endorphins and serotonin systems in mechanism of hypoxic ventilatory regulation]

Experiments were performed on anesthetized bilaterally chemodenervated rabbits. After giving hypoxic gas mixture (10% O2 in N2) to animals to cause ventilatory inhibition, lateral ventricle applications of beta-endorphins (beta-EP) antagonist naloxone (Nlx) and agonist ohmefentanyl (OMF) respectively reduced and enhanced hypoxia-induced ventilatory inhibition. Meanwhile the level of central serotonin (5-HT) was obviously increased more than that before the drug administration. Injection of exogenous 5-HT into rabbit lateral ventricle induced central beta-EP content to decrease markedly while minute ventilation (VE) was returned to control at the same time. The results suggest that beta-EP system in CNS is the basic and direct element in the regulatory mechanism of hypoxic ventilatory inhibition, and central 5-HT system only acts as a neuromodulator in modulating the activity of beta-EP system to indirectly affect ventilatory response to hypoxia.