Organ-specific fuel rewiring in acute and chronic hypoxia redistributes glucose and fatty acid metabolism

Oxygen deprivation can be detrimental. However, chronic hypoxia is also associated with decreased inci-dence of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in high-altitude populations. Previously, hypoxic fuel rewiring has primarily been studied in immortalized cells. Here, we describe how systemic hypoxia rewires fuel metabolism to optimize whole-body adaptation. Acclimatization to hypoxia coincided with dramatically lower blood glucose and adiposity. Using in vivo fuel uptake and flux measurements, we found that organs partitioned fuels differently during hypoxia adaption. Acutely, most organs increased glucose up-take and suppressed aerobic glucose oxidation, consistent with previous in vitro investigations. In contrast, brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle became glucose savers,suppressing glucose uptake by 3-5 -fold. Interestingly, chronic hypoxia produced distinct patterns: the heart relied increasingly on glucose oxidation, and unexpectedly, the brain, kidney, and liver increased fatty acid uptake and oxidation. Hypox-ia-induced metabolic plasticity carries therapeutic implications for chronic metabolic diseases and acute hypoxic injuries.

Automated summary

Oxygen deprivation can be harmful, however, chronic hypoxia is associated with a decrease in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Whole-body adaptation to hypoxia leads to lower blood glucose and adiposity. Different organs respond differently to hypoxia, with the heart relying on glucose oxidation and the brain, kidney, and liver increasing fatty acid uptake and oxidation.