Protective effects of HIF-1α gene transfection against hypoxic injury in HepG2 cells / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the protective effects of HIF-1α gene transfection on hypoxic injury in human HepG2 cells. METHODS: After gene transfection, HepG2 cells were randomly divided into 4 groups normoxia with Ad-GFP transfected group, normoxia with Ad-HIF-1 transfected group, hypoxia with Ad-GFP transfected group and hypoxia with Ad-HIF-1 transfected group. LDH leaking rate, cell viability, contents of NO and ROS, the iNOS activity were measured. RESULTS: High levels of HIF-1α mRNA and protein were detected in Ad-HIF transfected HepG2 cells. Cell viability was significantly lower in Ad-GFP transfected-hypoxia group than that in Ad-GFP transfected-normoxia group (P<0.05). No marked difference of cell viability was found between Ad-HIF transfected-hypoxia group and Ad-HIF transfected-normoxia group. ROS was significantly higher in Ad-GFP transfected-hypoxia group than that in Ad-GFP transfected-normoxia group (P<0.05), while no marked difference was found either between Ad-HIF transfected-hypoxia group and Ad-HIF transfected-normoxia group or between Ad-HIF transfected-hypoxia group and Ad-GFP transfected-hypoxia group. The content of NO and iNOS activity were significantly higher in Ad-HIF transfected-normoxia group and Ad-GFP transfected-hypoxia group than those in Ad-GFP transfected-normoxia group (P<0.05), no marked difference was found either between Ad-HIF transfected-hypoxia group and Ad-GFP transfected-hypoxia group or between Ad-HIF transfected-hypoxia group and Ad-HIF transfected-normoxia group. CONCLUSION: Higher HIF-1α expression is contributed to protective effects against hypoxic injury in HepG2 cells, the mechanisms of which may be correlated with promoting expression of gene regulated by HIF-1 and restraining over-expression of injure factors.