Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, and apnea-induced intermittent hypoxia (IH) is known to promote various cardiovascular alterations such as vascular remodeling. However, the mechanisms that underlie IH remain incompletely investigated. We previously demonstrated that the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are involved in arterial hypertension and myocardial susceptibility to infarction induced by IH. Thus the objective of the present study was to investigate whether both ET-1 and HIF-1 were also involved in the vascular inflammatory remodeling induced by IH. Mice partially deficient for the Hif1α gene (HIF-1α+/−) and their wild-type equivalents, as well as C57BL/6J mice, treated or not with bosentan, a dual endothelin receptor antagonist, were exposed to IH or normoxia for 2 wk, 8 h/day. Splenocyte proliferative and secretory capacities, aortic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and HIF-1 activities, and expression of cytokines and intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. IH induced a systemic and aortic inflammation characterized by an increase in splenocyte proliferative and secretory capacities, aortic NF-κB activity, and cytokine expression in the aortic wall. This was accompanied by an increase in IMT. These modifications were prevented in HIF-1α+/− and bosentan-treated mice. The results of this study suggest that ET-1 is a major contributor to the vascular inflammatory remodeling induced by OSA-related IH, probably through HIF-1-dependent activation of NF-κB.
55th Bowditch Lecture: Effects of chronic hypoxia on the pulmonary circulation: Role of HIF-1