Nitric oxide availability in deeply hypoxic crucian carp: acute and chronic changes and utilization of ambient nitrite reservoirs

• DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00515.2015
• Publication Date: 2016-01-13T23:59:54Z
• Authors: Marie N. Hansen; Lucie Gerber; Frank B. Jensen
• Keywords: Crucian carp; Hypoxia; Nitrosylation; Nitrosation

Recent research suggest that anoxia-tolerant fish transfer extracellular nitrite into the tissues, where it is used for nitric oxide (NO) generation, iron-nitrosylation, and S-nitrosation of proteins, as part cytoprotective response toward prolonged hypoxia subsequent reoxygenation. We hypothesized crucian carp take up ambient use a source cellular NO availability during hypoxia. Fish were exposed 1 day to normoxia (Po 2 > 140 mmHg) deep (1 < Po 3 at both low (< 0.2 μM) moderately elevated (10 [nitrite] decipher metabolites in plasma several tissues. also compared metabolite changes acute min) chronic day) exposures three different O levels. Plasma decreased with decreasing [O ], while concentrations nitros(yl)ated compounds either increased or stayed constant, depending on level tissue type. Nitrite was notably heart hypoxia, increase amplified by [nitrite]. Raised gill mRNA expression an inducible synthase-2 gene variant. The data support taken across gills be distributed via blood particularly heart, assists cytoprotection other functions. Cardiac not acutely fish, revealing requires time. levels higher than exposures, possibly caused swimming activity stress fish.