Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude
Reduced oxygen tensions experienced at high altitudes are thought to predispose to thrombosis, yet there are few studies linking hypoxia, platelet activation, and thrombosis. Reports of platelet phenotypes in hypoxia are inconsistent, perhaps due to differing degrees of hypoxia experienced and the d...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.825819/full |
| _version_ | 1818683328970096640 |
|---|---|
| author | Helena A. Turton Josephine Pickworth Gordon G. Paterson Gordon G. Paterson Allan Lawrie J. Kenneth Baillie J. Kenneth Baillie A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson |
| author_facet | Helena A. Turton Josephine Pickworth Gordon G. Paterson Gordon G. Paterson Allan Lawrie J. Kenneth Baillie J. Kenneth Baillie A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson |
| author_sort | Helena A. Turton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reduced oxygen tensions experienced at high altitudes are thought to predispose to thrombosis, yet there are few studies linking hypoxia, platelet activation, and thrombosis. Reports of platelet phenotypes in hypoxia are inconsistent, perhaps due to differing degrees of hypoxia experienced and the duration of exposure. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between soluble P-selectin, a marker of platelet activation, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) on exposure to hypoxia. We measured plasma concentrations of P-selectin and vWF in sixteen healthy volunteers before, during and after the APEX 2 expedition. APEX 2 consisted of a non-exertional ascent to 5,200 m, followed by 7 consecutive days at high altitude. We showed that high altitude significantly increased mean plasma P-selectin and vWF compared to pre-expedition levels. Both plasma marker levels returned to baseline post-expedition. We found a strong positive correlation between vWF and P-selectin, but no association between P-selectin and platelet count. Our results are consistent with previous work showing evidence of platelet activation at high altitude and demonstrate that the rise in P-selectin is not simply due to an increase in platelet count. As vWF and P-selectin could be derived from either platelets or endothelial cells, further work assessing more specific markers of endothelial activation is proposed to provide insight into the source of these potential pro-thrombotic biomarkers at altitude. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T10:33:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f52a4978171c4d938440098228ff79c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T10:33:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f52a4978171c4d938440098228ff79c92022-12-21T21:52:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2022-02-011310.3389/fphys.2022.825819825819Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High AltitudeHelena A. Turton0Josephine Pickworth1Gordon G. Paterson2Gordon G. Paterson3Allan Lawrie4J. Kenneth Baillie5J. Kenneth Baillie6A. A. Roger Thompson7A. A. Roger Thompson8A. A. Roger Thompson9Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United KingdomDepartment of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United KingdomApex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United KingdomCentre for Primary Care and Public Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United KingdomApex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United KingdomDepartment of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United KingdomDepartment of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United KingdomApex (Altitude Physiology Expeditions, SC030345), Edinburgh, United KingdomSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United KingdomReduced oxygen tensions experienced at high altitudes are thought to predispose to thrombosis, yet there are few studies linking hypoxia, platelet activation, and thrombosis. Reports of platelet phenotypes in hypoxia are inconsistent, perhaps due to differing degrees of hypoxia experienced and the duration of exposure. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between soluble P-selectin, a marker of platelet activation, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) on exposure to hypoxia. We measured plasma concentrations of P-selectin and vWF in sixteen healthy volunteers before, during and after the APEX 2 expedition. APEX 2 consisted of a non-exertional ascent to 5,200 m, followed by 7 consecutive days at high altitude. We showed that high altitude significantly increased mean plasma P-selectin and vWF compared to pre-expedition levels. Both plasma marker levels returned to baseline post-expedition. We found a strong positive correlation between vWF and P-selectin, but no association between P-selectin and platelet count. Our results are consistent with previous work showing evidence of platelet activation at high altitude and demonstrate that the rise in P-selectin is not simply due to an increase in platelet count. As vWF and P-selectin could be derived from either platelets or endothelial cells, further work assessing more specific markers of endothelial activation is proposed to provide insight into the source of these potential pro-thrombotic biomarkers at altitude.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.825819/fullaltitudehypoxiaP-selectinvon Willebrand factorplatelet activationcoagulation |
| spellingShingle | Helena A. Turton Josephine Pickworth Gordon G. Paterson Gordon G. Paterson Allan Lawrie J. Kenneth Baillie J. Kenneth Baillie A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson A. A. Roger Thompson Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude Frontiers in Physiology altitude hypoxia P-selectin von Willebrand factor platelet activation coagulation |
| title | Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude |
| title_full | Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude |
| title_fullStr | Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude |
| title_short | Soluble P-Selectin and von Willebrand Factor Rise in Healthy Volunteers Following Non-exertional Ascent to High Altitude |
| title_sort | soluble p selectin and von willebrand factor rise in healthy volunteers following non exertional ascent to high altitude |
| topic | altitude hypoxia P-selectin von Willebrand factor platelet activation coagulation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.825819/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT helenaaturton solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT josephinepickworth solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT gordongpaterson solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT gordongpaterson solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT allanlawrie solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT jkennethbaillie solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT jkennethbaillie solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT aarogerthompson solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT aarogerthompson solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude AT aarogerthompson solublepselectinandvonwillebrandfactorriseinhealthyvolunteersfollowingnonexertionalascenttohighaltitude |