Chronic intermittent hypoxia down-regulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression by an NF-κB-dependent mechanism

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have an impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilator response. The mechanisms underlying this impairment remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilatation by NF-κB-mediated down-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. Wild type (WT) mice and mice deficient in NF-κB p50 or TNF-α gene were exposed to sham or...