High-Altitude Hypoxia Decreases Plasma Erythropoietin Soluble Receptor Concentration in Lowlanders

The soluble form of the erythropoietin (Epo) receptor (sEpoR) is an endogenous antagonist of Epo. Decreasing plasma sEpoR increases free Epo, thereby increasing the availability of the hormone. In humans, short-term intermittent normobaric hypoxia exposure reduces sEpoR concentration in plasma. However, whether similar changes occur during continuous hypoxia, such as during high-altitude exposure with ongoing acclimatization, is yet unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the time-course concentration profile of sEpoR, and also of Epo, reticulocyte count (RC), and hematocrit in healthy lowlanders during 4 days at high altitude. Twenty-two men residents at sea level traveled by road (∼7 hours) from Lima to Cerro de Pasco (4340 m) for 72 hours. Oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO₂), heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, Lake Louise Score, sEpoR, Epo, RC, and hematocrit were evaluated every 12 hours, starting 12 hours before the ascent. Plasma sEpoR decreased by 19% and remained below baseline values throughout high-altitude exposure. In parallel, Epo levels increased during the first hours, reaching a peak at 48 hours, and then progressively decreased until 72 hours. As a result, the Epo-to-sEpoR ratio (Epo/sEpoR) remained significantly elevated compared with baseline values. RC increased linearly until the end of the protocol, and hematocrit only showed a marginal increase. Our results show that high-altitude hypoxia causes a significant and stable reduction of plasma sEpoR concentration within the first 24 hours, whereas plasma Epo constantly decreases after having reached a maximum by 48 hours. This simultaneous change leads to a relatively high Epo/sEpoR after 72 hours at high altitude. The early increase in hematocrit likely relates to hemoconcentration, but the steady increase in RC reflects a sustained erythropoietic drive that will lead to elevate hematocrit to a new steady state after acclimatization.