Physiological and molecular dynamic changes during 23-day high-altitude exposure reveal novel biomarkers for...

Health conditions associated with rapid ascent to high altitudes remain prevalent and pose an ongoing challenge. While acute mountain sickness (AMS) typically occurs within the first few days after ascent, the physiological and molecular acclimatization processes during prolonged high-altitude exposure beyond the initial acute phase remain incompletely understood.

This cross-sectional study investigated physiological and transcriptomic dynamics during prolonged high-altitude exposure over a 23 day period at 4,104 m in 113 Chinese Han individuals. Linear regression analysis, time series analysis, enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction analysis were applied to reveal the physiological and molecular dynamic changes.

Four physiological parameters (saturation of peripheral oxygen [SpO₂], hemoglobin, hematocrit, and standard deviation of red blood cell distribution width [RDW-SD]) exhibit a significant positive linear trend with the duration of acclimatization at high altitude (DAHA). Notably, two distinct gene expression patterns (GEPs) following DAHA were characterized for the first time: a decreasing expression pattern (Pattern 1) and a "mountain-shaped" expression pattern-upregulated in the first week and then downregulated (Pattern 2). In comparing individuals who experienced or were experiencing acute mountain sickness (eAMS+, n = 56) with those who did not (eAMS-, n = 57), RNA-seq performed in a subset of 48 participants (eAMS+, n = 35; eAMS-, n = 13) identified 583 upregulated and 104 downregulated genes in the eAMS+ group. Among these, 398 upregulated genes and 10 enriched pathways were found to overlap with Pattern 2. By integrating baseline data from the GSE75665 database, five hub differentially expressed genes (DEGs)-BCL2L1, DCAF12, CDC34, PINK1, and UBB-were identified. These genes not only predict AMS susceptibility but also associated with molecular responses to prolonged high-altitude exposure. In particular, CDC34 and UBB are novel genes not previously mentioned.

This study provides critical insights into key physiological trends and molecular expression dynamics associated with prolonged exposure to high-altitude environments.