Selective Activation of Inflammatory Pathways by Intermittent Hypoxia in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), characterized by intermittent hypoxia/reoxygenation (IHR), is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms of this association in a translational study. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a novel in vitro model of IHR, we used HeLa cells transfected with reporter constructs and DNA binding assays for the master transcriptional regulators of the inflammatory and adaptive pathways (NFkappaB and HIF-1, respectively) to investigate underlying transcriptional events initiated by repeated cell exposure to IHR. Furthermore, we prospectively studied 19 male OSAS patients (median apnea-hypopnea frequency, 48.5…

• HR
  Health Research Board
• SF
  Science Foundation Ireland