Pulmonary mechanics during hypoxia in spontaneously breathing anesthetized rabbits

Acute response of the lung mechanics of the rabbit to hypoxia

We measured the change in total lung resistance (RL) and that in total lung elastance (EL) induced by hypoxia (n = 7) and compared the results with those by intravenous histamine bolus (n = 5) at three different positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels (2, 5, and 8 hPa) in open-chest and vagotomized rabbits. The percent increase ratio of RL (PIRR) and EL (PIRE) was defined as the change in RL and EL, respectively, induced by hypoxia compared with that in the normoxic condition, expressed as a percentage. PIR values for the change in RL and EL induced by bolus injection of histamine were also calculated. The PIRR and PIRE induced by hypoxia and by histamine were positive by a statistically significant amount at every PEEP level, except for the PIRE value at 8-hPa PEEP in the hypoxic challenge. The PIRE-to-PIRR ratio values in the hypoxic challenge at 2-hPa PEEP were significantly larger than those in the histamine challenge (hypoxia: 0.91 +/- 0.23%; histamine: 0.37 +/- 0. 065%, P < 0.05). The increase in EL induced by histamine in the acute phase has been reported to be mainly derived from tissue distortion secondary to bronchial constriction. Thus our results suggest that a part of the increase in EL by hypoxia was originated in different parenchymal responses from histamine and imply that this hypoxic response of lung parenchyma is sensitive to the increase in parenchymal tethering at high PEEP levels.

[Tracheobronchial muscle tonus and its reflex control]

Airway smooth muscle tone is reinforced during the inspiratory phase of the breathing cycle and depends largely from neurogenic motor drive carried by the vagus nerve. This muscle tone seems to be produced mostly by a vago-vagal reflex loop initiated by the tonic discharge of tracheo-bronchial and/or alveolar receptors connected to thin sensory vagal fibres (non-myelinated or C-fibres). Inhibitory influences carried by large myelinated vagal fibres connected to tracheobronchial stretch receptors and also numerous afferents from the upper airways, systemic and pulmonary circulation, digestive tract and skeletal and respiratory muscles participate to the modulation of airway tone. The identification of neurotransmitters specific of the motor or sensory pathways helps to understand the peripheral modulation of airway motor drive and also the central integration of some peripheral informations.

Distribution of pulmonary cholinergic nerves in the rabbit

Investigations of the nerves of the rabbit lung, by light and electron microscopy, showed a dense acetylcholinesterase-positive innervation of the bronchi through the bronchiolar level. Large nerve bundles were found to decrease in size as they progressed from extrachondral to subchondral connective tissue, forming complex networks of mostly terminal fibres in the muscle layer. In several instances single fibres penetrated the submucosal layer and approached the mucosa. Gangliocytes, which also reacted positively for cholinesterase, were visible in the vicinity of the large peribronchial bundles. Gangliocytes rarely were seen in association with the vasculature. Blood vessels received a much less dense cholinesterase-positive nerve supply than the bronchi. Single, non-terminal fibres were noted at the adventitiomedial junction of the pulmonary artery and vein. In addition, segments of nerve fibres (networks) were observed in the arterial and venous smooth muscle layers. Cholinesterase-positive innervation was even less extensive in the veins than in the arteries.