OBJECTIVETo study the selection effect of endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) gene induced by high altitude hypoxia environment.

METHODSFourteen single nucleotide polymorphism sites (SNPs) of the EPAS1 gene were genotyped using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in three Tibetan groups (58 samples from Tibetan living in an altitude of about 3700 meters above sea level, 47 from Qinghai province, about 3100 meters above sea level, 43 from Yunnan province, about 2500 meters above sea level), and Han of Shandong (47 samples, about 50 meters above sea level).

RESULTSThere were significant differences of most SNP allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies when comparing Han of Shandong, Tibetan of Yunnan with Tibetan of Tibetan and Qinghai. But no difference between Han of Shandong and Tibetan of Yunnan was found.

CONCLUSIONThe EPAS1 gene might be under hypoxic selection induced by high altitude.