Increased Tolerance to Hypoxia in Irradiated and in Food-Deprived Rats

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Abstract
The survival rates for rats exposed to lethal levels of hypoxia in an altitude simulating chamber were detd. at various intervals after X-irradiation. Irradiated rats were significantly more resistant to the lethal effects of hypoxia than non-irradiated controls. This effect disappears approx. 5 days after 500 or 600 r total body irradiation. Since the increase in tolerance occurred during the post-irradiation anorexic period the effects of food deprivation upon the hypoxic tolerance of non-irradiated animals was detd. When deprived of food for 72 hrs. non-irradiated animals exhibited an increase in hypoxic tolerance comparable to that of irradiated animals. A similar change in tolerance after irradiation was noted when survival time under conditions of asphyxiation was used as the criterion. Seventy-two hrs. after irradiation (600 r) there was an increase in the time required for asphyxiation. This increase was duplicated in non-irradiated animals by food deprivation and was not dependent upon a change in tolerance to CO2.

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