Partial rescue of defects in Cited2-deficient embryos by HIF-1alpha heterozygosity.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) initiates key cellular and tissue responses to physiological and pathological hypoxia. Evidence from in vitro and structural analyses supports a critical role for Cited2 in down-regulating HIF-1-mediated transcription by competing for binding with oxygen-sensitive HIF-1alpha to transcriptional co-activators CBP/p300. We previously detected elevated expression of HIF-1 target genes in Cited2(-/-) embryonic hearts, indicating that Cited2 inhibits HIF-1 transactivation in vivo. In this study, we show for the first time that highly hypoxic cardiac regions in mouse embryos corresponded to the sites of defects in Cited2(-/-) embryos and that defects of the outflow tract, interventricular septum, cardiac vasculature, and hyposplenia were largely rescued by HIF-1alpha haploinsufficiency. The hypoxia of the outflow tract and interventricular septum peaked at E13.5 and dissipated by E15.5 in wild-type hearts, but persisted in E15.5 Cited2(-/-) hearts. The persistent hypoxia and abnormal vasculature in the myocardium of interventricular septum in E15.5 Cited2(-/-) hearts were rescued with decreased HIF-1alpha gene dosage. Accordingly, mRNA levels of HIF-1-responsive genes were reduced in Cited2(-/-) embryonic hearts by HIF-1alpha heterozygosity. These findings suggest that a precise level of HIF-1 transcriptional activity critical for normal development is triggered by differential hypoxia and regulated through feedback inhibition by Cited2.

Involvement of HIF-1 in invasion of Mum2B uveal melanoma cells.

The propensity of uveal melanoma cells for invasion and metastasis is critical factor for the clinical outcome of this form of cancer, and the essential biology of its aggressiveness is not completely understood. In the present study we investigated the involvement of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) in uveal melanoma migration, invasion and adhesion, the hallmarks of aggressive behavior of cancer cells. We demonstrate that exposure to hypoxia increased migration, invasion and adhesion of uveal melanoma cells in in vitro assays. The "silencing" of HIF-1alpha, the oxygen-regulated subunit of HIF-1, using RNA interference technology resulted in a marked decrease of the uveal melanoma cell migration, invasion and adhesion. GeneChip microarray analysis revealed that a number of genes which regulate cancer invasion and metabolism such as CXCR4, angiopoietin-related protein, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) are also activated by hypoxia in a HIF-1-dependent manner in Mum2B uveal melanoma cells. We further demonstrate that serum deprivation resulted in HIF-1 and CXCR4 activation, suggesting specific metabolic regulation of HIF-1 in these cells. Microarray analysis of serum-deprived cells identified among the upregulated genes a number of cancer invasion-related genes, some of them being known HIF-1-regulated targets. Taken together, these results suggest that the involvement of HIF-1 in uveal melanoma tumorigenesis is significant and complex, and that metabolic regulation of HIF-1 activation in Mum2B uveal melanoma cells has its specificities.

Mdm2 and HIF-1alpha interaction in tumor cells during hypoxia.

The interaction between HIF-1alpha, Mdm2, and p53 proteins during hypoxia has received recent attention. Here, we investigated the consequences of interaction between HIF-1alpha and Mdm2 under hypoxic conditions. Endogenous HIF-1alpha and Mdm2 proteins were co-immunoprecipitated from lysates of hypoxic HCT116 p53WT and p53(-/-) cells, suggesting that association of these two proteins is a p53-independent event. The cellular Mdm2 protein content was not significantly altered in hypoxic tumor cells. Overexpression of Mdm2 resulted in an increase in HIF-1alpha protein content in hypoxic cells and increased hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transcriptional activation. These results point toward a novel and p53-independent function of Mdm2 to promote tumor cell adaptations to hypoxia by interacting with and promoting HIF-1 activation.

Oligomycin inhibits HIF-1alpha expression in hypoxic tumor cells.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a key regulator of cellular responses to reduced oxygen availability. The contribution of mitochondria in regulation of HIF-1alpha in hypoxic cells has received recent attention. We demonstrate that inhibition of electron transport complexes I, III, and IV diminished hypoxic HIF-1alpha accumulation in different tumor cell lines. Hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha accumulation was not prevented by the antioxidants Trolox and N-acetyl-cysteine. Oligomycin, inhibitor of F(0)F(1)-ATPase, prevented hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha protein accumulation and had no effect on HIF-1alpha induction by hypoxia-mimicking agents desferrioxamine or dimethyloxalylglycine. The inhibitory effect of mitochondrial respiratory chain inhibitors and oligomycin on hypoxic HIF-1alpha content was pronounced in cells exposed to hypoxia (1.5% O(2)) but decreased markedly when cells were exposed to severe oxygen deprivation (anoxia). Taken together, these results do not support the role for mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in HIF-1alpha regulation, but rather suggest that inhibition of electron transport chain and impaired oxygen consumption affect HIF-1alpha accumulation in hypoxic cells indirectly via effects on prolyl hydroxylase function.

Hyperoxia induces Egr-1 expression through activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway.

Early growth response gene (Egr-1) is a stress response gene activated by various forms of stress and growth factor signaling. We report that supraphysiologic concentrations of O(2) (hyperoxia) induced Egr-1 mRNA and protein expression in cultured alveolar epithelial cells, as well as in mouse lung in vivo. The contribution of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and PI3-kinase pathways to the activation of Egr-1 in response to hyperoxia was examined. Exposure to hyperoxia resulted in a rapid phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 kinases in mouse alveolar epithelial cells LA4. MEK inhibitor PD98059, but not inhibitors of p38 MAPK or PI3-kinase pathway, prevented Egr-1 induction by hyperoxia. The signaling cascade preceding Egr-1 activation was traced to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Hyperoxia is used as supplemental therapy in some diseases and typically results in elevated levels of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in many lung cell types, the organ that receives highest O(2) exposure. Our results support a pathway for the hyperoxia response that involves EGF receptor, MEK/ERK pathway, and other unknown signaling components leading to Egr-1 induction. This forms a foundation for analysis of detailed mechanisms underlying Egr-1 activation during hyperoxia and understanding its consequences for regulating cell response to oxygen toxicity.

Role of nitric oxide in the regulation of HIF-1alpha expression during hypoxia.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a heterodimeric transcription factor consisting of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta subunits, controls the expression of a large number of genes involved in the regulation of cellular responses to reduced oxygen availability. The oxygen-regulated subunit, HIF-1alpha, is stabilized in cells exposed to hypoxia. The regulation of hypoxic responses by nitric oxide (NO) is believed to have wide pathophysiological relevance, thus we investigated whether NO affects HIF-1 activation in hypoxic cells. Here we show that NO generated from NO donors prevented HIF-1alpha hypoxic accumulation in Hep 3B and PC-12 cells. Addition of a glutathione analog or peroxynitrite scavengers prevented the NO-induced inhibition of HIF-1alpha accumulation in both cell lines. Exposure to NO was associated with inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport and compensatory glycolysis, which maintained normal cellular ATP content. Succinate, a Krebs cycle intermediate and respiratory chain substrate, restored HIF-1alpha hypoxic induction in the cells, suggesting involvement of mitochondria in regulation of HIF-1alpha accumulation during hypoxia. Regulation of HIF-1alpha by NO is an additional important mechanism by which NO might modulate cellular responses to hypoxia in mammalian cells.

Inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I attenuate the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 during hypoxia in Hep3B cells.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor that regulates transcriptional activation of several genes that are responsive to oxygen lack, including erythropoietin, vascular endothelial growth factor, various glycolytic enzymes and the GLUT-1 glucose transporter. Because mitochondria have been postulated to be involved in the regulation of HIF-1, we tested the effects of mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I inhibitors, rotenone and 1-methyl-4-phenylpiridinium (MPP(+)), on hypoxic-induced accumulation of HIF-1 alpha, the regulated component of the dimer. We found, consistent with our previous observations in Cath.a and PC12 cells, that rotenone and MPP(+) attenuated the HIF-1 alpha hypoxic response. Thus, it can be concluded that an intact, functional mitochondrial respiratory chain is required for HIF-1 alpha accumulation.