Ontogenetic differences in cardiopulmonary adaptation to chronic hypoxia

Cardiopulmonary adaptation to chronic hypoxia was compared in rats exposed to simulated high altitude (barochamber, 8 h per day, 5 days a week, stepwise up to 7000 m, a total of 24 exposures) either from the 4th day or the 12th week of postnatal life. Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular (RV) enlargement were comparable in both age groups. Whereas in young hypoxic animals the individual values of RV weight increased linearly with a rise of RV pressure (r = 0.72), no significant correlation was found in adult rats. Chronic hypoxia increased the concentration of cardiac collagenous proteins; this effect was more pronounced in adult animals. On the other hand, the collagen VIII ratio was markedly lower in young rats suggesting increased synthesis of collagen III in this age group. A protective effect of adaptation, i.e. increased cardiac resistance to acute hypoxic injury, was similar in both age groups and persisted even 4 months after removal of animals from the hypoxic atmosphere.