Fig. 6.
Systemic administration of the calpain inhibitor ALLM prevents HIF-2α degradation, oxidative stress, inhibition of SOD2 activity, and autonomic dysfunction in rats exposed to IH. Adult rats were exposed to 10 days of IH and were treated daily with either saline solution (IH) or ALLM (1 mg/kg/d i.p; IH+ALLM). Control experiments were performed on rats exposed to normoxia (N). ALLM prevented the following IH-evoked changes: (A) HIF-2α degradation in carotid bodies (CB) and adrenal glands (AG), (B and C) Elevations in TBARS (index of oxidative stress) levels and SOD-2 enzyme activity in adrenal medullae, and (D and E) Increases in arterial blood pressure and plasma norepinephrine levels. Data presented in B–E are mean ± SEM from 8 rats in each group. *P < 0.05; n.s., not significant, P > 0.05.