[Relationship between adaptation to high altitude hypoxia environment and glucose transport 1 gene polymorphism]

This investigation was conducted to explore the relationship between the polymorphism of gene of glucose transport 1(GLUT1) and the human body adaptation to high altitude hypoxia environment. The data on glucose transport 1 gene polymorphism in Tibetan mountaineers (high altitude group) were analyzed and compared with the data from the level-land Guangdong Hans (control group). The genotype of 86 Tibetan mountaineers and 90 level-land Hans as controls were tested with polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for GLUT1 gene. The results showed that, in the high altitude mountaineer group, the frequencies of +22999 locus genotypes GG, GT and TT were 44.2%, 46.5% and 9.3% respectively, and such frequencies in the control group were 66.7%, 31.1% and 2.2% respectively. The frequencies of + 22999 polymorphic genotypes and alleles showed statistically significant difference between the high altitude group and the control group (P<0.05). Genetic single nucleotide polymorphism in GLUT1 G+22999T may be associated with the adaptation to high altitude hypoxia.