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[Beneficial effects of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia on the body]
1Department of Physiology, Hebei Medical University, and Hebei Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology, Shijia zhuang 050017.
Insights
Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) protects the heart against ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. This method offers a longer-lasting protective effect than ischemia preconditioning (IPC) with fewer adverse effects than altitude hypoxia adaptation (AHA).
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Hypoxia Adaptation
- Myocardial Protection
Background:
- Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury lacks effective clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
- Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) shows promise in mitigating I/R injury.
- CIHH offers a longer protective duration than ischemia preconditioning (IPC) and fewer adverse effects than altitude hypoxia adaptation (AHA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the protective effects of CIHH on the heart against I/R injury.
- To explore the underlying mechanisms of CIHH-induced cardioprotection.
- To summarize the broader health benefits of CIHH.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing research on CIHH and its effects on myocardial I/R injury.
- Analysis of proposed molecular and cellular pathways involved in CIHH cardioprotection.
- Compilation of data on the systemic benefits of CIHH.
Main Results:
- CIHH significantly enhances myocardial tolerance to ischemia and hypoxia, preserving cardiac function and preventing arrhythmias during I/R.
- Proposed mechanisms include heat-shock protein induction, enhanced antioxidant capacity, increased coronary flow, angiogenesis, and modulation of ion channels and signaling pathways (e.g., ATP-sensitive potassium channels, PKC, iNOS).
- CIHH demonstrates additional systemic benefits, including improved health, enhanced oxygen utilization, and potential therapeutic applications for various diseases.
Conclusions:
- CIHH is a promising strategy for protecting the heart against I/R injury.
- Multiple molecular pathways contribute to CIHH's cardioprotective effects.
- CIHH offers a favorable risk-benefit profile compared to existing preconditioning methods and has wide-ranging health benefits.
Abstract:
Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) is a common problem in clinic and there is no satisfactory method for prevention or treatment of I/R injury so far. Chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH), similar to the concept of ischemia preconditioning (IPC)or altitude hypoxia adaptation (AHA), has been recognized to confer a protective effect on heart against I/R injury with a longer protective effect than IPC and a less adverse effect than AHA. It has been proved that CIHH increases myocardial tolerance to ischemia or hypoxia, reserving cardiac function and preventing arrhythmia during I/R. Multiple mechanisms or pathway underlying the cardiac protection of CIHH have been proposed, such as induction of heat-shock protein, enhancement of myocardial antioxidation capacity, increase of coronary flow and myocardial capillary angiogenesis, activation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channels, inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, and activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In addition, CIHH has been found having many beneficial effects on the body, such as promotion of health, increase of oxygen utilization, and prevention or treatment for some diseases. The beneficial effects of CIHH and potential mechanisms are reviewed mainly based on the researches performed by our group.
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