Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 Expression Post Exposure of Intermittent Hypobaric Hypoxia

Intermittent hypobaric hypoxia often suffered by cabin crew due to the fact that they are breathing lower pressured air inside the plane cabin. Human body will adapt by binding more oxygen and reducing hypoxia effect. Mitochondria function will be irritated by hypoxia which affect, outer mithochondrial membrane permeability due to decrease of Bcl-2 protein. Later on if hypoxia continues mitochondrial membrane will leaked cytocrome-c will released and apoptotic pathway will occur. The purpose of this study was to analyze Bcl-2 protein as antiapoptosis and caspase-3 as apoptosis indicator of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia exposure. Experimental study was subjected to Spraque Dawley male mice during January-April 2010 by exposing them to several intermittent hypobaric hypoxias (one to four treatment) in an interval of one week. Protein expression on mice heart cell were detected by immunohistochemistry in the Department of Pathology Anatomy Padjadjaran University-RS Dr. Hasan Sadikin Bandung and western blot methods in Department Biomolecullar Indonesia University Jakarta. Bcl-2 protein expressions increased according with the frequency of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia exposures, while a reverse trend was found for caspase-3 protein expressions (r(s) =-0.448, p=0.013). From the study it can be concluded that apoptosis will be decreased as a result of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia exposures, which occurred from natural adaptation mechanism indicated by decrease of cell apoptosis and cardio protective effect will be emerged. [MKB. 2011;43(4):166-70].