Abstract
Summary
Rats, food-deprived and exposed to hypobaric hypoxia (7193 m or 23,600 ft) for 24 hr showed a significant decrease in lung adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP). Lung guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) was unaltered as well as liver cAMP and cGMP. In contrast, rats fasted for 72 hr showed a significant threefold increase in lung cAMP and eightfold increase in liver cAMP. Endogenous cGMP for both tissues was unchanged by a 72-hr fast. These data indicate that acute hypoxic stress has a selective action in decreasing lung cAMP and that this effect is not related to anorexia.
Supported by Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grant No. 2767. We thank M. E. Shaw and E. G. Whittle for expert assistance, and W. C. Hymer and R. J. Martin for critical review of the manuscript.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.