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Analysis of the influence of increased oxygen on the multiplication of cultured rat tracheal smooth muscle cells reveals that exposure of the cells to 70% oxygen results in suppression of multiplication. Enhanced content of cellular proteins during 70% oxygen exposure indicates a hypertrophic influence. There is no increase in protein content when cells are exposed to 21% oxygen. Increased oxygen response of airway smooth muscle cells may be significant immediately after hyperoxia-associated lung injury.

A study was done to investigate the changes in the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins and cellular proteins in pulmonary arteries exposed to chronic hyperoxia and to determine the contributions of these changes to pulmonary hypertension. The rates of protein synthesis in pulmonary arteries measured in vitro were compared with those of measurements obtained in vivo. The results showed that pulmonary hypertension as a result of hyperplasia during chronic exposure to hyperoxia is an external manifestation of alterations in protein synthesis rates.