EMC2: analysis of biological samples
Research type
Research Study
Full title
EMC2: analysis of biological samples. The Epigenetic Methodology Chamber Collaboration (EMC2)was a hypobaric chamber study to investigate the epigenetic effects of hypoxaemia on human performance at altitude. It comprised a number of studies that compared a group of altitude naive subjects with a group of altitude experienced subjects, looking at changes in epigenetic markers, exercise performance, microcirulation, and nitrate metabolism. This generated a bioresource collection that is awaiting analysis.
IRAS ID
154057
Contact name
Kay Mitchell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The amount of oxygen available in the air falls dramatically as one ascends to high altitude (hypobaric hypoxia). This leads to a low level of oxygen in the blood (hypoxaemia) that is associated with reduced physical function and exercise capacity; the degree to which this occurs varies widely between individuals. Critically ill patients in hospitals experience a comparable situation. Hypoxaemia is a universal phenomenon in this patient group and leads to a lack of cellular oxygen (hypoxia), organ failure and death. Our ability to predict which patients will suffer adverse effects of hypoxaemia and which will survive is poor. Currently, treatment strategies for hypoxaemia are limited and not without severe adverse consequences. Our research group aims to identify mechanisms that may lead to the successful treatment of hypoxaemia in critically ill patients.
The EMC2 study was carried out to explore responses to altitude hypoxia in healthy humans using epigenetic, physiological and plasma markers. The healthy humans comprised two groups: six adult males with a history of high altitude exposure, and six males with no history of high altitude exposure. The subjects underwent a 7 day protocol including a 4-day exposure to hypobaric hypoxia in a hypobaric chamber.
We hypothesise that exposure to altitude hypoxia
• induces epigenetic, physiological and plasma markers of changes in human cells,
• that altitude exposed individuals will have evidence of prior hypoxia related modification,
• that the change is augmented during a similar exposure.
The results from this study will be used to determine markers of good adaptation to hypoxia. The cellular processes that govern these markers may be amenable to manipulation and of benefit to critically ill patients. The data and samples were collected at Duke University in North Carolina, USA, with the full approval of the Duke University Ethics committee.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
14/ES/1109
Date of REC Opinion
10 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion