Metabolic alterations in erythrocytes associated with long-term hypoxia at high altitude.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Red blood cell (RBC) plays a vital role in the adaptations to hypoxia at high altitudes, however, the metabolic pattern of RBC under long-term hypoxia remains unknown. Here, we employed broad- and energy-targeted metabolomics approaches to study the differences in the RBC among the three groups: lowlanders living in plain areas, lowlanders acclimatized to plateaus for more than 10 years, and native Tibetans.

Results

Compared with lowlanders, the glycolytic flux remained stable in acclimatized lowlanders and adapted Tibetans, and purine metabolism did not correspondingly increase. Notably, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway was reduced in both acclimatized lowlanders and adapted Tibetans, and a consistent decrease was observed in the reduced glutathione, a key

SUBMITTER: Yu T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12538973 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature