A new device to mimic intermittent hypoxia in mice

PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e59973. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059973. Epub 2013 Apr 2.

Abstract

Intermittent hypoxia (hypoxia-reoxygenation) is often associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We describe a new device which can be used to submit cohorts of mice to controlled and standardised hypoxia-normoxia cycles at an individual level. Mice were placed in individual compartments to which similar gas flow parameters were provided using an open loop strategy. Evaluations made using computational fluid dynamics were confirmed by studying changes in haemoglobin oxygen saturation in vivo. We also modified the parameters of the system and demonstrated its ability to generate different severities of cyclic hypoxemia very precisely, even with very high frequency cycles of hypoxia-reoxygenation. The importance of the parameters on reoxygenation was shown. This device will allow investigators to assess the effects of hypoxia-reoxygenation on different pathological conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnoea or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Conditioning / instrumentation*
  • Air Conditioning / methods
  • Animals
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Hypoxia / physiopathology*
  • Mice
  • Oximetry
  • Oxygen Consumption
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / physiopathology

Substances

  • Hemoglobins

Grants and funding

LV is director of Research at the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research. This work was supported by a scientific grant from ISPPC ((Intercommunale de Santé Publique du Pays de Charleroi). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.