Cigarette smoke and hypoxia induce acute changes in testicular and celebral microcirculation

Abstract

The acute effects of cigarette smoking and hypoxia on the cerebral and testicular microcirculation were studied in anestethised adult rats. Smoking for 2 min did not influence arterial pO2, pCO2 or pH but it induced an increase in cerebral blood flow by 34% and inhibited vasomotion in the testis for about 1 h. One hour after smoke exposure apnea induced a slight increase in arterial pCO2, a significant decrease in pO2, and an increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) by 54%. In animals not previously exposed to cigarette smoke apnea increased CBF by 121%, demonstrating that a short-term exposure to tobacco smoke influences the cerebrovascular reactivity for more than one hour. In the testis, apnea resulted in a decreased blood flow by 39% and a complete depression of vasomotion. Breathing 10% O2/90% N2 resulted in moderate hypoxia, a total disappearance of the vasomotion in the testis, a 24% decrease in testicular blood flow, but a 23% increase in CBF.Our results indicate that short- term exposure to tobacco smoke induces marked acute vascular effects in both the brain and the testis. Apnea and moderate hypoxia elicted totally differnt effect in the brain and testis, indicating different vascular control mechanisms.