Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2013 Apr 8;8(4):e60695. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060695. Print 2013.
The preBötzinger complex (preBötC) is a critical neuronal network for the generation of breathing. Lesioning the preBötC abolishes respiration, while when isolated in vitro, the preBötC continues to generate respiratory rhythmic activity. Although several factors influence rhythmogenesis from this network, little is known about how gender may affect preBötC function. This study examines the influence of gender on respiratory activity and in vitro rhythmogenesis from the preBötC. Recordings of respiratory activity from neonatal mice (P10-13) show that sustained post-hypoxic depression occurs with greater frequency in males compared to females. Moreover, extracellular population recordings from the preBötC in neonatal brainstem slices (P10-13) reveal that the time to the first inspiratory burst following reoxygenation (TTFB) is significantly delayed in male rhythmogenesis when compared to the female rhythms. Altering activity of ATP sensitive potassium channels (KATP) with either the agonist, diazoxide, or the antagonist, tolbutamide, eliminates differences in TTFB. By contrast, glucose supplementation improves post-hypoxic recovery of female but not male rhythmogenesis. We conclude that post-hypoxic recovery of respiration is gender dependent, which is, in part, centrally manifested at the level of the preBötC. Moreover, these findings provide potential insight into the basis of increased male vulnerability in a variety of conditions such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
preBötzinger 复合体（preBötC）是呼吸产生的关键神经元网络。损毁 preBötC 会导致呼吸停止，而当它在体外被分离时，仍会继续产生呼吸节律性活动。尽管有几个因素会影响该网络的节律生成，但对于性别如何影响 preBötC 功能却知之甚少。本研究探讨了性别对 preBötC 的呼吸活动和体外节律生成的影响。来自新生小鼠（P10-13）的呼吸活动记录显示，与雌性相比，雄性持续缺氧后抑制（post-hypoxic depression）的发生频率更高。此外，来自新生脑桥切片中 preBötC 的细胞外群体记录（P10-13）表明，与雌性节律相比，雄性节律发生时，复氧后第一次吸气爆发的时间（TTFB）显著延迟。用激动剂二氮嗪或拮抗剂甲苯磺丁脲改变 ATP 敏感钾通道（KATP）的活性，消除了 TTFB 的差异。相比之下，葡萄糖补充改善了女性但不是男性节律发生后的缺氧恢复。我们得出结论，呼吸的缺氧后恢复是依赖于性别的，这在一定程度上是中枢在 preBötC 水平上表现出来的。此外，这些发现为理解各种情况下男性易感性增加的基础提供了潜在的见解，例如婴儿猝死综合征（SIDS）。
