A close two-way relationship exists between hypoxia and inflammation. As a consequence responses to bacterial infection frequently occur in the setting of both regional and systemic hypoxia. We questioned whether acute exposure to systemic hypoxia and more prolonged hypoxic preconditioning could determine the clinical outcome to infection. In both a local subcutaneous S. aureus skin infection model and a systemic S. pneumoniae model of bacteraemic pneumonia we observed acute systemic hypoxia to induce a rapidly progressive host mediated response that culminated in significant morbidity and mortality. Preconditioning animals with prior hypoxic exposure resulted in near complete protection that was conserved out-with the initial exposure period. We subsequently link these pathophysiological responses to global energy states and leukocyte expression of HIF-1alpha.
Physiology 2016 (Dublin, Ireland) (2016) Proc Physiol Soc 37, SA049
Research Symposium: Hypoxia and the innate immune response
S. Walmsley1, A. Thompson2, R. Dickinson1, J. Thomson1, R. Johnson3, R. Meehan1, M. Whyte1
1. University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. 2. University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. 3. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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