Protective Effect of Modified Hemoglobin on Rabbits and Goats in High-Altitude Sickness

Abstract

The prevalence and severity of high-altitude sickness increases with increasing altitude. Prevention of hypoxia caused by high-altitude sickness is an urgent problem. As a novel oxygen-carrying fluid, modified hemoglobin can carry oxygen in a full oxygen partial pressure environment and release oxygen in a low oxygen partial pressure environment. It is unclear whether modified hemoglobin can improve hypoxic injury on a plateau. Using hypobaric chamber rabbit (5000 m) and plateau goat (3600 m) models, general behavioral scores and vital signs, hemodynamic, vital organ functions, and blood gas are measured. The results show that the general behavioral scores and vital signs decrease significantly in the hypobaric chamber or plateau, and the modified hemoglobin can effectively improve the general behavioral scores and vital signs in rabbits and goats, and reduce the degree of damage to vital organs. Further studies reveal that arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) on the plateau decrease rapidly, and the modified hemoglobin could increase PaO2 and SaO2; thus, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity. Moreover, modified hemoglobin has few side effects on hemodynamics and kidney injury. These results indicate that modified hemoglobin has a protective effect against high-altitude sickness.