The plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) is a native species of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau that spends its entire life underground in sealed burrows with hypoxic conditions. The present study aimed to assess the sequence characteristics of apoptosis-related genes and the response to different oxygen partial pressures (pO₂) in plateau zokor and Sprague-Dawley rats. The sequences of the p53-induced protein with a death domain (Pidd), p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (Puma), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (Igfbp3), and apoptosis protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf1) were evaluated concerning homology and convergent evolution sites, and their mRNA levels were evaluated in different tissues under 14.13 (3,300 m) and 16.12 kPa (2,260 m) pO₂ conditions. Our results showed that, (1) the sequences of the apoptosis-related genes in plateau zokor were highly similar to those of Nannospalax galili, followed by Rattus norvegicus; (2). Pidd, Puma, Igfbp3, and Apaf1 of plateau zokor were found to have five, one, two, and five convergent sites in functional domains with N. galili, respectively. Lastly (3), under low pO₂, the expression of Pidd and Puma was downregulated in the lung of plateau zokors. In turn, Igfbp3 and Apaf1 were upregulated in the liver and lung, and Puma was upregulated in the skeletal muscle of plateau zokor under low pO₂. In Sprague-Dawley rats, low pO₂ downregulated Puma and Apaf1 expression in the liver and downregulated Igfbp3 and Puma in the lung and skeletal muscle separately. In contrast, low pO₂ upregulated Pidd expression in the liver and skeletal muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats. Overall, the expression patterns of Apaf1, Igfbp3, and Puma showed the opposite pattern in the liver, lung, and skeletal muscle, respectively, of plateau zokor as compared with Sprague-Dawley rats. In conclusion, for the long-time adaptation to hypoxic environments, Pidd, Puma, Igfbp3, and Apaf1 of plateau zokor underwent convergent evolution, which we believe may have led to upregulation of their levels under low oxygen partial pressures to induce apoptosis, so as to suppress tumorigenesis under hypoxic environments in plateau zokor.

高原鼢鼠（蝼蛄) 是青藏高原的本土物种，一生都在地下缺氧的密封洞穴中度过。本研究旨在评估高原鼢鼠和Sprague-Dawley大鼠凋亡相关基因的序列特征和对不同氧分压（pO _{2 ）的反应。}评估了具有死亡结构域 (Pidd)、p53 上调的凋亡调节剂 (Puma)、胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白 3 (Igfbp3) 和凋亡蛋白酶激活因子 1 (Apaf1) 的 p53 诱导蛋白的序列关于同源性和趋同进化位点，并在 14.13 (3,300 m) 和 16.12 kPa (2,260 m) pO ₂下在不同组织中评估其 mRNA 水平条件。我们的研究结果表明，（1）高原鼢鼠凋亡相关基因的序列与加利利南鱼， 其次是褐家鼠; (2)。Pidd、Puma、Igfbp3 和 Apaf1 的高原鼢鼠被发现在功能域中具有五个、一、二和五个收敛位点加利尼猪笼草， 分别。最后（3），在低 pO ₂下，表达皮德和彪马在高原鼢鼠肺中表达下调。反过来，Igfbp3和阿帕夫1在肝和肺中上调，并且彪马_{在低pO 2}下高原鼢鼠骨骼肌中表达上调。在 Sprague-Dawley 大鼠中，低 pO ₂下调彪马和阿帕夫1在肝脏中表达并下调Igfbp3和彪马分别在肺和骨骼肌中。相反，低 pO ₂上调皮德在 Sprague-Dawley 大鼠的肝脏和骨骼肌中的表达。总体而言，表达模式阿帕夫1,Igfbp3， 和彪马与 Sprague-Dawley 大鼠相比，高原鼢鼠的肝脏、肺和骨骼肌分别显示了相反的模式。总之，对于长期适应低氧环境，皮德,彪马,Igfbp3， 和阿帕夫1高原鼢鼠经历了趋同进化，我们认为这可能导致它们在低氧分压下的水平上调以诱导细胞凋亡，从而抑制高原鼢鼠在缺氧环境下的肿瘤发生。