Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the changes associated with acute systemic hypoxia in the endocrine system, particularly in pancreatic tissues. The investigation was based on macroscopic, pathohistological, biochemical, and molecular biological findings in cell lines and human cadavers. The results showed that cases of death due to asphyxia more frequently showed severe subcapsular/interstitial hemorrhage versus the other causes of death. Histological examination showed that asphyxia cases were associated with severe morphological changes. Although measured insulin levels in the asphyxia were higher compared to other causes of death, no differences were noted for the glucagon and amylase levels with regard to the cause of death. Increased blood insulin levels were not associated with macro- and micromorphological changes, and did not show any association with glucose or cortisol levels. The experiment conducted under hypoxic conditions in cultured cells demonstrated that insulin mRNA expression and insulin protein levels peaked at 10 min after hypoxia exposure. However, there were no changes in either the amylase mRNA or protein levels. Corticosterone level peaked at 120 min after exposure to hypoxic conditions. Overall, acute systemic hypoxic conditions can directly affect the mechanisms involved in pancreatic insulin secretion.
Highlights
Acute systemic hypoxia caused by asphyxia and acute circulatory failure due to cardiac disease substantially impacts various organs
In this case we observed that subcapsular/interstitial hemorrhage occurs and serum amylase levels tend to be higher than the clinical reference range; which did not differ from levels seen in other causes of death [10]
Individuals who died due to asphyxia (77.3%) had a higher incidence of macroscopic pancreatic subcapsular/interstitial hemorrhage as compared to those who died due to other causes (13.0–53.3%, mean 27.9%) with the exception for drowning (72.7%) (Fig. 3a and Table 2). Those who died due to asphyxia had macroscopic pancreatic subcapsular/interstitial hemorrhage score classified as severe (Fig. 3a and Table 2)
Summary
Acute systemic hypoxia caused by asphyxia and acute circulatory failure due to cardiac disease substantially impacts various organs. We found an increase in the pituitary gland blood-to-CSF transport of prolactin (PRL) This information led us to conclude that the pituitary gland receives neural stimulation under hypoxic conditions [9]. After looking at these results, we investigated exocrine and endocrine functions of the pancreas after acute hypoxia treatment and found very little literature. Our group went on to look at how the pancreas reacts to systemic hypoxic conditions In this case we observed that subcapsular/interstitial hemorrhage occurs and serum amylase levels tend to be higher than the clinical reference range; which did not differ from levels seen in other causes of death [10]. This study investigated changes in the pancreas caused by acute systemic hypoxia with a particular focus on the effects on the endocrine cells
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