Identification of biomarkers for gastrointestinal barrier injury and protective role of sodium butyrate in hypobaric hypoxia exposed rats.

Individuals travelling to elevated altitudes are at a greater risk of developing acute mountain sickness and gastrointestinal problems due to hypoxic conditions. Exposure to high altitude hypoxia may result in injury that compromises intestinal barrier integrity, leading to increased permeability, inflammation and impaired nutrient absorption. Early detection of hypoxia induced gastrointestinal barrier injury is crucial for preventing complications such as sepsis, multiple organ failure and potentially fatal gastrointestinal bleeding. Sodium butyrate (SB), a short chain fatty acid has shown potential in alleviating inflammation and restoring microbial balance. We investigated the protective effects of SB on gastrointestinal barrier damage caused by hypobaric hypoxia (HH) exposure in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. In the present study, the male SD rats were exposed to HH for 21 days. Histological analysis of the intestinal tissue revealed significant damage to the intestinal villi by 7th day of the exposure. Serum levels of Intestinal Fatty acid Binding Protein (I-FABP) and zonulin, key biomarkers of gut barrier injury were found to be significantly elevated under HH conditions. However, treatment with SB effectively reduced the levels of both biomarkers. Further analysis demonstrated that SB suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhanced mucus production and restored tight junction protein integrity in the intestinal epithelium. Additionally, SB treatment maintained the expression of secretory IgA and mucin-producing goblet cells, both of which are crucial for barrier function and gut immunity. The elevated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as TLR4, NLRP3, HIF-1α and NF- κB in HH exposed rats was also reduced after SB treatment. Molecular docking studies further revealed that SB formed stable complexes with these inflammatory mediators through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Collectively, these findings indicate that SB effectively mitigates HH induced intestinal injury by restoring intestinal barrier integrity. This offers a potential therapeutic approach for managing gastrointestinal dysfunction in individuals travelling to high altitude regions.