Changes in the Gut Microbiota of Rats in High-Altitude Hypoxic Environments

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of high-altitude hypoxic environments with low oxygen levels on the gut microbiota characteristics of rats. We observed that high-altitude hypoxia is an important environmental factor that can affect gut microbiota structure and diversity, thereby affecting homeostasis in the host intestinal environment.

Association between Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome and Modification Effect of Altitude: A Cohort Study of Tibetan Adults in China

“…A high-fat diet impairs mitochondrial oxygen uptake into host enterocytes, allowing facultative anaerobes such as the pathobiont Escherichia Coli to take over, resulting in an increase in the amount of choline catabolized into the precursor for TMAO [54]. The relative abundance of anaerobic bacteria has been reported to be significantly increased in the hypoxic groups [55]. The production of TMAO might be increased by combining hypoxia and microbial pathways, which in turn, lower HDL-C.…”

High-altitude-induced alterations in intestinal microbiota

“…Animal experiments have found that mice exposed to an altitude of 5,000 m for 30 days and that exposure to high-altitude and low-oxygen environments did not change the relative abundance of aerobic, anaerobic, facultative anaerobic, potentially pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, and Gram-positive bacteria in mice, but significantly reduced the relative abundance of Epsilonproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Clostridia, and Spirochaetes, and increased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia, indicating that exposure to low oxygen and high altitude may affect the composition of intestinal microbiota ( Zhang et al, 2018 ). In studies involving Wistar rats, it was observed that acute exposure to an altitude of 4,100 m resulted in a notable increase in the abundance of the Bacteroides genus, accompanied by a decrease in the abundance of the Prevotella genus, compared to the control group at sea level ( Bai et al, 2022 ). This phenomenon indicates a potential adaptation of the intestinal microbiota to high-altitude environments through alterations in microbial composition.…”

“…Additionally, rats exposed to low pressure (429 mmHg) for 7 days exhibited a significant increase in the abundance of aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria in fecal samples, while the abundance of anaerobic bacteria significantly decreased. This indicates that atmospheric pressure is an important exogenous factor regulating the composition of intestinal microbiota ( Bai et al, 2022 ).…”

“…In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the significant impact of environmental factors on the intestinal microbiota ( Ma et al, 2019 ; Wang et al, 2022 ). Specifically, research has highlighted the role of the high-altitude hypoxic environment in shaping the composition and structure of the intestinal microbial community ( Bai et al, 2022 ; Wang et al, 2022 ). However, our understanding of the precise effects of extreme environments, such as high altitudes, on the intestinal microbiota remains incomplete.…”

“…Yet, it remains challenging to discern whether these alterations in microbial composition are primarily reflective of host physiological adaptations or whether they contribute directly to the onset or exacerbation of high-altitude illnesses. The adverse conditions present in high-altitude environments have driven natural selection among populations ( Bai et al, 2022 ). Factors such as hypobaric hypoxia, low temperatures, and high radiation not only impact organismal reproduction and survival but also accelerate population-level evolution and physiological adaptations ( Hu et al, 2022 ).…”