Writing Assignment: Effects of Hypoxia on Neutrophils (Essay Sample)

Effects of Hypoxia on Neutrophils
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Introduction
Hypoxia is the state when the body tissues lack enough oxygen. The situation occurs due to the lack of enough oxygen supply in the body to the various tissues. Hypoxia may result in certain effects such as having an increased heart rate and cardiac output which is aimed at increasing oxygen supply in the body (Sies & Brüne, 2007). It may also cause various effects in different cells. The aim of this paper is to discuss the effects of hypoxia on stimulated neutrophils.
First, one should understand what happens in hypoxic conditions in the neutrophils. Neutrophils are part of the innate defense system that help in infiltrating into unfavorable environments and execute the elimination of invading pathogens to stop the spread. Most of these environments are low oxygen conditions. Neutrophils have a different system for the production of ATP since oxidative metabolism is not possible in these conditions, therefore, glycolysis occurs as a source of ATP (Sies & Brüne, 2007). It implies that oxygen is consumed to support the production of reactive oxygen via the NADPH oxidase-driven burst. It is this reactive oxygen that is responsible for killing the invading pathogens. One of the effects of hypoxia is to enable delayed neutrophil apoptosis that causes the cell to perform its function at the site of action. However, it may also cause undesired effects in some cases such as the event of tissue damage due to the release of the reactive oxygen and also pro-inflammatory mediators.
The delayed neutrophil apoptosis is likely during hypoxic conditions due to several factors. One of these factors is the event of a transcription dependent inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis. In hypoxic conditions neutrophils has a ferroprotein sensor that helps in inducing this condition.
The study done by Sies, H. & Brüne suggest that the process is similar to the oxygen-dependent regulation of erythropoietin and angiogenic growth factor expression observed in other cells (Sies & Brüne, 2007).
In a study by Xi, it was discovered that, in hypoxic conditions, the ability to kill Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited but not E. coli (Xi, 2012) The study involved both the examination of the S. aureus and E. coli under hypoxic conditions. The inhibition of killing of S. aureus was due to the impairment of oxidase dependent pathways in hypoxic conditions since in normal conditions there was a higher death rate of the bacteria (Xi, 2012). Inhibition of the respiratory burst capacity can occur in hypoxic conditions (Xi, 2012). This implies that the rate of elimination of S. aureus may also be inhibited since...