Effects of soman intoxication under high altitude hypoxia on heart cholinergic system of rat

  Objective   To study the effects of soman intoxication under high altitude hypoxia on the activity of AchE and the expression of m₂ receptor mRNA.

  Methods   Experimental Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, high altitude hypoxia group, plain soman intoxication group and soman intoxication combined hypoxia group.The activity of AchE and the expression of m₂ receptor mRNA in rats myocardium were measured with DTNB method and RT-PCR.

  Results   Hypoxia increased the activity of AchE in different degrees, and the expression of m₂ receptor also increased; during soman intoxication under high altitude hypoxia, the expression of m₂ receptor mRNA enhanced remarkably compared with plain soman intoxication group.

  Conclusion   Both high altitude hypoxia group and soman intoxication significantly interfered with the functions of the cholinergic nervous system in the heart.The up-regulation of cholinergic system may play an important role in the toxicity increasing of organophosphate compounds at high altitude.