Acclimatization to hypoxia modulates the tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase activity in rats exposed to simulated high altitude.

1. Exposure of rats to an 8000 m altitude increased the hepatic tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.1.12) activity. 2. Acclimatization to hypoxia by a repeated exposure to an altitude of 5000 m induced a marked decrease in liver tryptophan dioxygenase activity after the rats were subjected to an 8000 m altitude, but a pre-exposure to 4000 m altitude showed no effect on the enzyme activity. 3. Plasma tryptophan was rapidly decreased by exposure to 8000 m altitude to the same extent in the acclimatized and non-acclimatized rats. 4. Plasma tryptophan may be utilized as the substrate for tryptophan dioxygenase in liver of the non-acclimatized rats under highly hypoxic conditions; however, acclimatized rats can reserve tryptophan as the substrate for the alternative metabolism other than the degradation pathway in liver.