Oxygen treatment decreased cell activity but failed to enhance metabolic function in patients with diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Missouri are investigating therapies that target specific cells associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Their latest study focuses on a cluster of chemoreceptor cells located near the carotid artery in the neck. These cells, when overactive, are strongly linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular-related conditions and mortality.
Since these chemoreceptors detect oxygen levels in the body, the researchers are exploring whether adjusting oxygen levels could influence chemoreceptor activity, potentially improving cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Investigating Hyperoxia as a Therapy
“There are exciting studies in rats that show removing these chemoreceptors when they become overactive can improve issues like high blood pressure and high blood sugar,” said Jacqueline Limberg, first author and associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology. “Before we consider completely removing them in patients, we theorized that high doses of oxygen might reduce or ‘shut off’ chemoreceptor activity, thus improving health outcomes.”
Two groups participated in the MU study – 17 people with and 20 people without type 2 diabetes as the control. The research team found the peripheral chemoreceptors were indeed overactive in adults with diabetes, with the highest level of activity associated with patients with the highest blood sugar.
After entering hyperoxia – a state where one is exposed to high levels of oxygen – the chemoreceptors’ activity fell, along with heart rate, blood pressure, and the number of breaths taken per minute. The effect, however, did not differ between the two groups. In addition, there was no impact on glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity.
Implications and Future Directions
“The goal of this study was to understand how peripheral chemoreceptors affect the cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of type 2 diabetes,” said Camila Manrique-Acevedo, co-author and professor of medicine. “We now understand one bout of hyperoxia does not immediately improve function. Having this information allows us to focus our attention on other therapies that show promise for patients with type 2 diabetes.”
Reference: “Role of the peripheral chemoreceptors in cardiovascular and metabolic control in type 2 diabetes” by Jacqueline K. Limberg, Elizabeth P. Ott, Aubrey M. Pipkins, Eric C. Lis, Anna M. Gonsalves, Jennifer L. Harper and Camila Manrique-Acevedo, 28 August 2024, The Journal of Physiology.
DOI: 10.1113/JP286975
Jacqueline Limberg, PhD is an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, with appointments in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Camila Manrique-Acevedo, MD is a professor of medicine and the Thomas W. Burns, MD, Distinguished Professor in Diabetes at the School of Medicine. She is also a NextGen Precision Health investigator.
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1 Comment
“There are exciting studies in rats that show removing these chemoreceptors when they become overactive can improve issues like high blood pressure and high blood sugar,” said Jacqueline Limberg, first author and associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology. “Before we consider completely removing them in patients, we theorized that high doses of oxygen might reduce or ‘shut off’ chemoreceptor activity, thus improving health outcomes.”
From this quote we can see lots of medical stupidity. First, it implies that results in rats can immediately be applied to humans. But, “before we consider completely removing them (chemoreceptors) in patients…” So this means that they are already considering partially removing these chemoreceptors from human carotid arteries, but want to first see if excess oxygen can down-regulate these chemoreceptors.
Of course, these chemoreceptors have an important role in the body, and, in reality, removing them for humans, who are not rats, can have different results, including a longer lifespan having to survive not having these chemoreceptors, which control heart function, among other things.
Then they found no benefit from using excess oxygen to regulate these chemoreceptors. Their theory did not hold up. “We now understand one bout of hyperoxia does not immediately improve function. Having this information allows us to focus our attention on other therapies that show promise for patients with type 2 diabetes.” In other words, this study was good in showing that this approach was bad, so we can not move on to other things that might work. Great conclusion. Back to the drawing board. I guess they will need another batch of rats now.