Hypoxia-induced cell damage is reduced by mild hypothermia and postconditioning with catalase in-vitro: application of an enzyme based oxygen deficiency system.

Mild hypothermia and pharmacological postconditioning are widespread therapeutical treatment options that positively influence the clinical outcome after tissue hypoxia. In the study presented, a two-enzyme based in-vitro oxygen deficiency model in combination with cultured HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells was employed to mimic the in-vivo situation of hypoxia and to evaluate the influence of mild hypothermia and postconditioning with catalase on hypoxia-mediated cell damage. Using the in-vitro oxygen deficiency model, partial pressure of oxygen was rapidly reduced to levels below 5mmHg in the culture media and cells responded with an increased expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 on protein level. Hypoxia resulted in significant cell rounding and retraction of cytoplasmic cell extensions. Evaluation of cytotoxicity revealed a 3.5-fold increase in lactate dehydrogenase levels which was accompanied by 40-fold elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide. The hypoxia-induced increase of lactate dehydrogenase was 2.5-fold reduced in the hypothermia group, although morphological correlates of cytotoxicity were still visible. Hypothermia did not significantly influence hydrogen peroxide concentrations in the culture media. Pharmacological postconditioning with catalase however dose-dependently decreased hypoxia-induced lactate dehydrogenase release. This cytoprotective effect was accompanied by a dose-dependent, up to 50-fold reduction of hydrogen peroxide concentrations and retention of normal cell morphology. We suggest that the described in-vitro oxygen deficiency model is a convenient and simple culture system for the investigation of cellular and subcellular events associated with oxygen deficiency. Moreover, our in-vitro results imply that catalase postconditioning may be a promising approach to attenuate hypoxia-induced and hydrogen peroxide-mediated cell and tissue damage.