Tibetans at Extreme Altitude

Wu, Tianyi; Shu-pin, LI; Ward, M. P.

doi:10.1580/pr04-04.1

Cited by 32 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Tibetans show greater adaptability to the hypoxic environment of high-altitude regions compared to people belonging to the Han ethnicity; the incidence of HAPE was significantly less in Tibetans compared to that observed in people belonging the Han ethnicity (Cheng et al, 1997;Basu et al, 2007). Genetic factors accounted for approximately 50% of the factors influencing the adaptation of the human body to highaltitude hypoxic environments (Wu et al, 2005;Wu and Kayser, 2006). In this study, 10 susceptibility genes related to HAPE were identified/screened from the NCBI database; these genes coded for aldosterone synthase 2 (CYP11B2), ACE, heat-shock protein-70 (HSP70), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), SP-A2, NOS,VEGF,prolyl hydroxylase (EGLN1), and the zinc finger protein A20.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms in hypoxia-related genes and susceptibility to acute high-altitude pulmonary edema

Al¹,

Ys²,

Zq³

et al. 2015

Genet. Mol. Res.

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ABSTRACT. This study aimed to explore the relationship between genetic changes and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) susceptibility, and to screen for the key single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci in the HAPE-susceptibility gene, by investigating the SNPs occurring in hypoxia-related genes in HAPE-susceptible and control (non-susceptible) populations. This research was conducted on Han recruits, who travelled to the Lhasa plateau (altitude, 3658 m). Ten loci located on ten genes extracted from the HAPE and healthy populations were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and subsequently sequenced. The investigated genes included those coding for aldosterone synthase 2 (CYP11B2), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), surfactant protein A2 (SP-A2), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), nitric oxide synthetase (NOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), prolyl hydroxylase (EGLN1), and zinc finger protein A20. The gene distribution of each SNP loci and its correlation with (2015) HAPE was analyzed. Statistical analyses of the genotype frequencies of the SNPs revealed significant differences in the ACE (rs4309), EGLN1 (rs480902), SP-A2 (rs1965708), HSP70 (rs1008438), PAI-1 (rs1799889), and NOS (rs199983) expressions between the HAPE and healthy control groups (P < 0.05); therefore, these SNP loci were believed to indicate HAPE susceptibility. HAPE is correlated with multiple-SNP loci. A correlation analysis between genetic polymorphism and HAPE susceptibility revealed that 6 hypoxia-related genes were key sites accounting for HAPE. These findings could help assess the risk of HAPE in populations expressing different genotypes, in order to reduce the occurrence of HAPE.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms in hypoxia-related genes and susceptibility to acute high-altitude pulmonary edema

Al¹,

Ys²,

Zq³

et al. 2015

Genet. Mol. Res.

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“…Everest in 1975, the 9 summiteers were all Tibetans, except for one Han. On this expedition the climbers placed a trigonometric survey tripod on the summit that required drilling holes in the rock, and this heavy work was carried out for more than an hour without supplementary oxygen (Wu et al, 2005b). Today, Sherpas summit Mt.…”

Section: Physical Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

High Altitude Adaptation in Tibetans

Wu¹,

Kayser

2006

High Altitude Medicine & Biology

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206

181

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Since the beginning of the Himalayan climbing era, the anecdotal extraordinary physical performance at high altitude of Sherpas and Tibetans has intrigued scientists interested in altitude adaptation. These ethnic groups may have been living at high altitude for longer than any other population, and the hypothesis of a possible evolutionary genetic adaptation to altitude makes sense. Reviewed here is the evidence as to whether Tibetans are indeed better adapted for life and work at high altitude as compared to other populations and, if so, whether this better adaptation might be inborn. Tibetans, compared to lowlanders, maintain higher arterial oxygen saturation at rest and during exercise and show less loss of aerobic performance with increasing altitude. Tibetans have greater hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responsiveness, larger lungs, better lung function, and greater lung diffusing capacity than lowlanders. Blood hemoglobin concentration is lower in Tibetans than in lowlanders or Andeans living at similar altitudes. Tibetans develop only minimal hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and have higher levels of exhaled nitric oxide than lowlanders or Andeans. Tibetans' sleep quality at altitude is better and they desaturate less at night. Several of these findings are also found in Tibetans born at low altitude when exposed for the first time to high altitude once adult. In conclusion, Tibetans indeed seem better adapted to life and work at high altitude, and this superior adaptation may very well be inborn, even though its exact genetic basis remains to be elucidated.

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“…Highlander population has developed different adaptive strategies for coping with highaltitude environment [10,11]. Lower frequency of AMS is reported from Tibetans [84,85]. In a study on Andean Quechua, G allele at the G894T polymorphism in NOS3, suggested to be beneficial in hypoxic environments, was more frequent compared to lowland Amerindians [80], while the frequency of the same allele was low in Nepalese population who suffered from AMS [79].…”

Section: Genetic Basis For Altitude Illnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Altitude Medicine: The Path from Genomic Insight to Clinical Applications

Sarkar

2014

Translational Research in Environmental and Occupational Stress

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Translation of research findings into clinical practice is an important aspect of medical progress. In context of high-altitude medical research, understanding the functions of all genes and their regulation under highaltitude environment is far from complete, and translation of genomics research findings into clinical practice is yet an unexplored domain. With advancement and accessibility to genomic and genomewide data sets, understanding of the role of genes and environment under high altitude will get accelerated which can potentially get converted to translational research.

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Tibetans at Extreme Altitude

Cited by 32 publications

References 34 publications

Correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms in hypoxia-related genes and susceptibility to acute high-altitude pulmonary edema

Correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms in hypoxia-related genes and susceptibility to acute high-altitude pulmonary edema

High Altitude Adaptation in Tibetans

High-Altitude Medicine: The Path from Genomic Insight to Clinical Applications

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