The diencephalon, or interbrain, is a primary relay and processing center for sensory information and autonomic control. It connects structures of the endocrine system with the nervous system and works with the limbic system to generate and manage emotions and memories. Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a member of the vertebrate globin family involved in cellular oxygen homeostasis and reactive oxygen/nitrogen scavenging, while hypoxia-inducible factor (Hif-1α) is a transcription factors that respond to decreases in available oxygen in the cellular environment or hypoxia. The study explored the expression of Ngb and Hif-1α in the diencephalon of young yaks and examined factors that influenced the levels of Ngb and Hif-1α. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blot (WB) were employed to investigate the expression of Ngb and Hif-1α in the diencephalon of young yaks. Ngb and Hif-1α are significantly expressed in all tissues of the diencephalon except the hypothalamus and epithalamus. The thalamus, cerebellar cortex, the white matter of the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and cerebrum showed significant levels of expression, and each plays an important role in the diencephalon. The overall expression of Ngb was higher than that of Hif-1α. Both Ngb and Hif-1α participate in oxygen transport throughout the telencephalon and have functions in neuroprotection. The results suggest that Ngb and Hif-1α influence the mechanism of adaptation of young yaks to their high altitude environment. Further studies on the mechanism of adaptation are recommended.
