AIMTo investigate intermittent hypoxia effects on splenocyte mitogen-induced proliferation.

METHODSRats were exposured to intermittent hypoxia in a hypobaric chamber 4 h/d for 1 d, 2 d, 5 d and 15 d.

RESULTS5 km (10.8% O2) hypoxia for 1 d significantly inhibited ConA-induced splenocytes proliferation by--74.57% +/- 7.33% (P < 0.05). Hypoxia (5 km) for 2 d, 5 d and 15 d did not markedly affect splenocyte proliferation (97.03 +/- 7.18%, 104.5% +/- 8.38%, 99.55% +/- 3.8% respectively). Hypoxia 2 km (16.0% O2) for 1 d, 2 d, 5 d and 15 d had no influence on splenocytes proliferation (93.19% +/- 11.88%, 96.43% +/- 7.9%, 99.03% +/- 10.97%, 100.54% +/- 9.54% respectively). We also demonstrated that acute hypoxia exposure (5 km) 4 h significantly suppressed DNA contents of rat splenocytes by 76.22% +/- 7.06% (P < 0.05). The suppressed DNA synthesis were returned to control level after the hypoxia for 5 d and 15 d.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that the acute hypoxia (5 km, 4 h) induces a transient suppression on splenic lymphocyte proliferation, and the intermittent hypoxia may induce an adaptation response of the splenocytes proliferation.