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Aims: HAPE remains the most common lethal high-altitude disease. Although its pathophysiology and other associated causal factors have been partially uncovered along with some potential biomarker proteins, it has not been completely elucidated. A major hindrance to improving the understanding of HAPE pathophysiology and associated molecular events has been the absence of a quick, reliable and definitive animal model of HAPE. This study is aimed at development of a rapid and reliable SD rat model of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) that can be roentgenographically confirmed and be used to study protein markers of HAPE., Main Methods: In this study, we detail the process of rapidly inducing HAPE in male SD rats within 18 h of simulated high-altitude exposure without causing high rates of mortality. Thereafter, we confirmed HAPE using roentgenography. We assessed Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1), IL-1 beta, TNF- alpha and IFN-gamma using ELISA. Finally, H&E staining of lung tissues was also performed., Key Findings: A roentgenographically confirmed HAPE model was demonstrated. SULT 1A1 levels are found to be highest in rats suffering HAPE, as previously confirmed in human patients. Inflammation was also assessed based on levels of inflammatory proteins like IL-1b, TNF-a, and IFN-g in addition to H&E staining of lung tissues. Inflammation and HAPE were observed to be synergistic events and not cause and effect of each other., Significance: This rat model of HAPE will help researchers and clinicians in evaluating performance of therapies, potential biomarker and also further elucidate underlying molecular processes causing HAPE., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lack of zero side-effect, prescription-less prophylactics and diagnostic markers of acclimatization status lead to many suffering from high altitude illnesses. Although not fully translated to the clinical setting, many strategies and interventions are being developed that are aimed at providing an objective and tangible answer regarding the acclimatization status of an individual as well as zero side-effect prophylaxis that is cost-effective and does not require medical supervision. This short review brings together the twin problems associated with high-altitude acclimatization, i.e. acclimatization status and zero side-effect, easy-to-use prophylaxis, for the reader to comprehend as cogs of the same phenomenon. We describe current research aimed at preventing all the high-altitude illnesses by considering them an assault on redox and energy homeostasis at the molecular level. This review also entails some proteins capable of diagnosing either acclimatization or high-altitude illnesses. The future strategies based on bioinformatics and systems biology is also discussed., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)