Data from: Naked mole rats exhibit metabolic but not ventilatory plasticity following chronic sustained hypoxia

Conversely, naked mole rats do not hyperventilate in acute hypoxia and their response to CSH has not been examined. In this study we explored mechanisms of plasticity in the control of the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and hypoxic metabolic response (HMR) of freely behaving naked mole rats following 8-10 days of chronic sustained normoxia (CSN) or CSH. Specifically, we investigated the role of the major inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) in mediating these responses.

Our study yielded three important findings. First, naked mole rats did not exhibit ventilatory plasticity following CSH, which is unique among adult animals studied to date. Second, GABA receptor (GABAR) antagonism altered breathing patterns in CSN and CSH animals and modulated the acute HVR in CSN animals.

Third, naked mole rats exhibited GABAR-dependent metabolic plasticity following long-term hypoxia, such that the basal metabolic rate was ~25% higher in normoxic CSH animals than CSN animals, and GABAR antagonists modulated this increase.

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Raw data for Proceedings This file contains raw LabChart files documenting changes ventilation and metabolism during an acute hypoxic exposure in naked mole rats acclimated to 8-10 day of either chronic sustained normoxia or chronic sustained hypoxia