Alterations in enzymes involved in fat metabolism after acute and chronic altitude exposure.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acute (24 h) and chronic (5 wk) hypobaric hypoxic exposure equivalent to a simulated altitude of 4,300 m (446 mmHg) on the enzymes of fat metabolism. Heart, liver, and skeletal muscle were taken from 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Altitude exposure did not affect the activity of citrate synthase in any of the tissues, suggesting that mitochondrial content was unchanged. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I) activity was significantly reduced in the heart by both acute and chronic high altitude exposure compared with controls. A similar reduction was found for CPT-I activity in extensor digitorum longus after acute and chronic exposure compared with control animals. CPT-I activity was not affected by altitude exposure in the soleus muscle or the liver. 3-Hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (beta-HAD) activity was significantly depressed in the hearts of chronically exposed animals compared with controls. No difference between acute and control animals was found in the heart for beta-HAD activity. Liver beta-HAD activity was also significantly decreased in the acclimatized as well as in the acute animals compared with the control group. Quadriceps beta-HAD activity was reduced for the chronic animals only compared with controls. These data suggest that acclimatization to high altitude selectively decreases key enzymes in fat utilization and oxidation in the heart, liver, and select skeletal muscles.