Integrated proteomics and metabolomics reveal the mechanisms of blood
pressure reduction in spontaneously hypertensive rats under
high-altitude hypoxic conditions
Abstract
High-altitude hypoxic environments significantly affect the
cardiovascular system and blood pressure regulation. However, the
underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear, necessitating further
studies on the effect of high-altitude hypoxic exposure on blood
pressure. We established a long-term high-altitude hypoxia exposure
model, exposing spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) to high-altitude
hypoxia for 10 weeks, and performed quantitative proteomics and
metabolomics of the abdominal aorta of SHRs using tandem mass tag-based
quantitative proteomics and metabolomics. Analysis using bioinformatics
and enrichment strategies indicated that the altered proteins and
metabolites participate in various biological processes. The
differentially expressed proteins primarily participate in oxidative
phosphorylation pathways, thermogenesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle,
and carbon metabolism. We speculated that oxidative phosphorylation and
thermogenesis were related to the reduced blood pressure in SHRs under
high-altitude hypoxic conditions. Combined proteome and metabolome
analyses revealed that altered metabolites, including thiamine,
S-adenosylhomocysteine, pantothenic acid, fumaric acid, and homoserine,
participated alongside differentially expressed proteins in the process
of blood pressure reduction in high-altitude hypoxic environments in
SHRs. This study elucidated the potential molecular mechanisms
underlying blood pressure reduction in SHRs under high-altitude hypoxic
conditions by integrating proteomics and metabolomics, providing
insights into exploring how high-altitude hypoxia affects blood pressure
at the molecular level.