Frontiers in physiology
Differential proteomic analysis of lung tissues in rats with high-altitude pulmonary edema and screening of potential biomarkers
By Zhang D, Liu T, Mu H and 4 others.
Abstract
Introduction
High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a severe complication of rapid exposure to high-altitude hypoxia, but its molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to characterize lung proteomic alterations in HAPE and identify candidate proteins associated with its pathophysiological processes.
Methods
Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to control and HAPE model groups (n = 20/group). The HAPE model was induced by exposure to simulated altitude (7,000 m) under hypobaric hypoxia combined with treadmill exercise for 48 h. Pulmonary edema was evaluated by lung wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein concentration, inflammatory cytokine measurement, and histopathological examination. Lung proteomic profiling was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), followed by GO, KEGG, and PPI network analyses. Candidate proteins were further validated using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and RT-qPCR.
