Heat acclimation/acclimatisation (HA) mitigates heat-related decrements in physical capacity and heat-illness risk and is a widely advocated countermeasure for individuals operating in hot environments. The efficacy of HA is typically quantified by assessing the thermo-physiological responses to a standard heat acclimation state test (i.e. physiological biomarkers), but this can be logistically challenging, time consuming, and expensive. A valid molecular biomarker of HA would enable evaluation of the heat-adapted state through the sampling and assessment of a biological medium. This narrative review examines candidate molecular biomarkers of HA, highlighting the poor sensitivity and specificity of these candidates and identifying the current lack of a single ‘standout’ biomarker. It concludes by considering the potential of multivariable approaches that provide information about a range of physiological systems, identifying a number of challenges that must be overcome to develop a valid molecular biomarker of the heat-adapted state, and highlighting future research opportunities.

中文翻译：

---

用于评估热适应表型的分子生物标志物：叙述范围审查

热适应/适应 (HA) 可减轻与热相关的体能下降和热病风险，是在炎热环境中工作的个人广泛提倡的对策。HA 的功效通常通过评估对标准热适应状态测试（即生理生物标志物）的热生理反应来量化，但这在逻辑上可能具有挑战性、耗时且昂贵。HA 的有效分子生物标志物将能够通过生物介质的采样和评估来评估热适应状态。这篇叙述性综述检查了 HA 的候选分子生物标志物，强调了这些候选物的敏感性和特异性较差，并确定了目前缺乏单一“突出”生物标志物的情况。最后，考虑了提供一系列生理系统信息的多变量方法的潜力，确定了开发热适应状态的有效分子生物标志物必须克服的许多挑战，并强调了未来的研究机会。