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Enhanced Peripheral Chemoreflex Drive Is Associated with Cardiorespiratory Disorders in Mice with Coronary Heart
Liena Bravo1, Katherin V Pereyra1, Hugo S Diaz1
1Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory Control, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
Coronary heart disease (CHD) enhances carotid body (CB) chemoreflex drive, leading to increased cardiac sympathoexcitation and breathing disorders in mice. These findings suggest CBs play a role in cardiorespiratory changes associated with CHD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) involves reduced coronary blood flow due to lipid deposition and oxidation.
- Dyslipidemia in CHD is linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, and potential effects on carotid bodies (CBs).
- The role of CB-mediated chemoreflex in CHD pathophysiology remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of CHD on peripheral CB-mediated chemoreflex drive.
- To assess cardiac autonomic function and breathing disorders in a murine model of CHD.
- To determine the relationship between CB chemoreflex and cardiorespiratory alterations in CHD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a murine model of coronary heart disease (CHD).
- Evaluated peripheral CB-mediated chemoreflex drive, specifically the hypoxic ventilatory response.
- Assessed cardiac autonomic function and breathing patterns in CHD mice compared to controls.
Main Results:
- CHD mice exhibited a twofold increase in hypoxic ventilatory response, indicating enhanced CB chemoreflex drive.
- CHD mice displayed increased cardiac sympathoexcitation and irregular breathing disorders.
- The observed cardiorespiratory alterations were closely associated with the enhanced CB chemoreflex drive.
Conclusions:
- Mice with CHD demonstrate an enhanced carotid body (CB) chemoreflex.
- Increased CB activity contributes to cardiac sympathoexcitation and disordered breathing in CHD.
- Carotid bodies (CBs) are implicated in the chronic cardiorespiratory changes observed in coronary heart disease (CHD).
Abstract:
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a prevalent cardiovascular disease characterized by coronary artery blood flow reductions caused by lipid deposition and oxidation within the coronary arteries. Dyslipidemia is associated with local tissue damage by oxidative stress/inflammation and carotid bodies (CB) peripheral chemoreceptors are heavily modulated by both reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory molecules (i.e., cytokines). Despite this, it is not know whether CB-mediated chemoreflex drive may be affected in CHD. In the present study, we evaluated peripheral CB-mediated chemoreflex drive, cardiac autonomic function, and the incidence of breathing disorders in a murine model of CHD. Compared to age-matched control mice, CHD mice showed enhanced CB-chemoreflex drive (twofold increase in the hypoxic ventilatory response), cardiac sympathoexcitation, and irregular breathing disorders. Remarkably, all these were closely linked to the enhanced CB-mediated chemoreflex drive. Our results showed that mice with CHD displayed an enhanced CB chemoreflex, sympathoexcitation, and disordered breathing and suggest that CBs may be involved in chronic cardiorespiratory alterations in the setting of CHD.
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