Effects of hypoxia on cardiac growth in neonatal rat

To determine whether low oxygen environments enhance cardiac cell division in the neonatal period, newborn rat pups were reared for 21 days in 12-15% oxygen. Left ventricle and right ventricle weights were 30 and 180% greater than controls matched for body weight (P less than 0.001) as were left ventricle/body weight ratios (3.68+/-0.26 vs. 2.99+/-0.05 mg LV/g body wt,P less than 0.001). Left ventricular total DNA and DNA concentration was 95 and 48% greater than controls (P less than 0.001). Autoradiography confirmed that this increase in ventricular DNA resulted from an increased rate of division of cardiac muscle cells, fibroblast, and vascular endothelial cells. When [3H]thymidine was injected on day ), autoradiographs prepared on day 21 reflected an increased dilution of label in hypoxic rats consistent with enhanced proliferation. The labeling index and grains per nucleus of ventricular muscle cells was 25% (P less than 0.01) and 20% (P less than 0.02) less than controls, Thus, hypoxic stress applied early in the neonatal period augments the rate of division and ultimate number of cardiac muscle cells. Whether this enhancement results from a primary effect of oxygen or from secondary hemodynamic factors remains unknown.