Redox regulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor

pH sensing and regulation in cancer

Cells maintain intracellular pH (pH_i) within a narrow range (7.1–7.2) by controlling membrane proton pumps and transporters whose activity is set by intra-cytoplasmic pH sensors. These sensors have the ability to recognize and induce cellular responses to maintain the pH_i, often at the expense of acidifying the extracellular pH. In turn, extracellular acidification impacts cells via specific acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) and proton-sensing G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this review, we will discuss some of the major players in proton sensing at the plasma membrane and their downstream consequences in cancer cells and how these pH-mediated changes affect processes such as migration and metastasis. The complex mechanisms by which they transduce acid pH signals to the cytoplasm and nucleus are not well understood. However, there is evidence that expression of proton-sensing GPCRs such as GPR4, TDAG8, and OGR1 can regulate aspects of tumorigenesis and invasion, including cofilin and talin regulated actin (de-)polymerization. Major mechanisms for maintenance of pH_i homeostasis include monocarboxylate, bicarbonate, and proton transporters. Notably, there is little evidence suggesting a link between their activities and those of the extracellular H⁺-sensors, suggesting a mechanistic disconnect between intra- and extracellular pH. Understanding the mechanisms of pH sensing and regulation may lead to novel and informed therapeutic strategies that can target acidosis, a common physical hallmark of solid tumors.

Differential roles of prostaglandin E-type receptors in activation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 by prostaglandin E1 in vascular-derived cells under non-hypoxic conditions

Prostaglandin E₁ (PGE₁), known pharmaceutically as alprostadil, has vasodilatory properties and is used widely in various clinical settings. In addition to acute vasodilatory properties, PGE₁ may exert beneficial effects by altering protein expression of vascular cells. PGE₁ is reported to be a potent stimulator of angiogenesis via upregulation of VEGF expression, which is under the control of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). However, the molecular mechanisms behind the phenomenon are largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism by which PGE₁ induces HIF-1 activation and VEGF gene expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), both vascular-derived cells. HUVECs and HASMCs were treated with PGE₁ at clinically relevant concentrations under 20% O₂ conditions and HIF-1 protein expression was investigated. Expression of HIF- 1α protein and the HIF-1-downstream genes were low under 20% O₂ conditions and increased in response to PGE₁ treatment in both HUVECs and HASMCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner under 20% O₂ conditions as comparable to exposure to 1% O₂ conditions. Studies using EP-receptor-specific agonists and antagonists revealed that EP1 and EP3 are critical to PGE₁-induced HIF-1 activation. In vitro vascular permeability assays using HUVECs indicated that PGE₁ increased vascular permeability in HUVECs. Thus, we demonstrate that PGE₁ induces HIF- 1α protein expression and HIF-1 activation under non-hypoxic conditions and also provide evidence that the activity of multiple signal transduction pathways downstream of EP1 and EP3 receptors is required for HIF-1 activation.

2011 and 2012 Early Careers Achievement Awards: metabolic priorities during heat stress with an emphasis on skeletal muscle

Environmental heat stress undermines efficient animal production resulting in a significant financial burden to agricultural producers. The reduction in performance during heat stress is traditionally thought to result from reduced nutrient intake. Recently, this notion has been challenged with observations indicating that heat-stressed animals may exploit novel homeorhetic strategies to direct metabolic and fuel selection priorities independent of nutrient intake or energy balance. Alterations in systemic physiology support a shift in metabolism, stemming from coordinated interactions at whole-body and tissue-specific levels. Such changes are characterized by increased basal and stimulated circulating insulin concentration in addition to the ostensible lack of basal adipose tissue lipid mobilization coupled with reduced adipocyte responsiveness to lipolytic stimuli. Hepatic and skeletal muscle cellular bioenergetics also exhibit clear differences in carbohydrate production and use, respectively, due to heat stress. The apparent dichotomy in intermediary metabolism between the 2 tissue types may stem from factors such as tricarboxylic acid cycle substrate flux and mitochondrial respiration. Thus, the heat stress response markedly alters postabsorptive carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism through coordinated changes in fuel supply and use across tissues in a manner that is distinct from commonly recognizable changes that occur in animals on a reduced plane of nutrition. Perhaps most intriguing is that the coordinated systemic, cellular, and molecular changes appear conserved across physiological states and among different ruminant and monogastric species. Ultimately, these changes result in the reprioritization of skeletal muscle fuel selection during heat stress, which may be important for whole-body metabolism and overall physiological adaptation to hyperthermia.

Hypoxia-inducible haemoglobins of Daphnia pulex and their role in the response to acute and chronic temperature increase

Daphnia pulex is challenged by severe oxygen and temperature changes in its habitat. In response to hypoxia, the equipment of oxygen transport proteins is adjusted in quantity and quality by differential expression of haemoglobin isoforms. This study focuses on the response of 20°C acclimated animals to elevated temperature using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Acute temperature stress (30°C) induced the hypoxia-inducible Hb isoforms most strongly, resulting in an increase of the haemoglobin mRNA pool by 70% within 8h. Long-term-acclimation to moderately elevated temperature (24°C) only evoked minor changes of the Hb mRNA suite. Nevertheless, the concentration of the hemolymph pool of haemoglobin was elevated by 80%. In this case, the constitutive Hb isoforms showed the strongest increase, with Hb01 and Hb02 contributing by 64% to the total amount of respiratory protein. The regulation patterns upon acute temperature stress likely reflect temperature-induced tissue hypoxia, whereas in case of persisting exposure to moderately elevated temperature, acclimation processes enabled the successful return to oxygen homeostasis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Oxygen Binding and Sensing Proteins.

Glucotoxicity induces glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic unit expression by acting on the interaction of HIF-1α with CREB-binding protein

The activation of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), a key enzyme of endogenous glucose production, is correlated with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by sustained hyperglycemia leading to glucotoxicity. We investigated whether glucotoxicity mechanisms control the expression of the G6Pase catalytic unit (G6pc). We deciphered the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of the G6pc promoter by glucotoxicity in a hepatoma cell line then in primary hepatocytes and in the liver of diabetic mice. High glucose exposure induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and, in parallel, induced G6pc promoter activity. In hepatocytes, glucose induced G6pc gene expression and glucose release. The decrease of ROS concentrations by antioxidants eliminated all the glucose-inductive effects. The induction of G6pc promoter activity by glucose was eliminated in the presence of small interfering RNA, targeting either the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α or the CREB-binding protein (CBP). Glucose increased the interaction of HIF-1α with CBP and the recruitment of HIF-1 on the G6pc promoter. The same mechanism might occur in hyperglycemic mice. We deciphered a new regulatory mechanism induced by glucotoxicity. This mechanism leading to the induction of HIF-1 transcriptional activity may contribute to the increase of hepatic glucose production during type 2 diabetes.

Neovascularization in retinopathy of prematurity: opposing actions of neuronal factors GPR91 and semaphorins 3A

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a major cause of severe visual deficits in children. This review focuses on the role of newly identified factors from retinal neurons, which through their opposing actions on vascular development contribute to ROP. These hypoxia-generated mediators include the Krebs cycle intermediate, succinate acting via GPR91, and the neuronal guidance molecule Semaphorin 3A.

CONCLUSION

Neuron-derived factors guide retinal vascularization and are major contributors to the pathogenesis of ROP.

Effects of hypoxia exposure on hepatic cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) expression in Atlantic croaker: molecular mechanisms of CYP1A down-regulation

Hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIF-α) and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) are biomarkers of environmental exposure to hypoxia and organic xenobiotic chemicals that act through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, respectively. Many aquatic environments heavily contaminated with organic chemicals, such as harbors, are also hypoxic. Recently, we and other scientists reported HIF-α genes are upregulated by hypoxia exposure in aquatic organisms, but the molecular mechanisms of hypoxia regulation of CYP1A expression have not been investigated in teleost fishes. As a first step in understanding the molecular mechanisms of hypoxia modulation of CYP1A expression in fish, we characterized CYP1A cDNA from croaker liver. Hypoxia exposure (dissolved oxygen, DO: 1.7 mg/L for 2 to 4 weeks) caused significant decreases in hepatic CYP1A mRNA and protein levels compared to CYP1A levels in fish held in normoxic conditions. In vivo studies showed that the nitric oxide (NO)-donor, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine, significantly decreased CYP1A expression in croaker livers, whereas the competitive inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS), N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, restored CYP1A mRNA and protein levels in hypoxia-exposed (1.7 mg DO/L for 4 weeks) fish. In vivo hypoxia exposure also markedly increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β, a cytokine), HIF-2α mRNA and endothelial NOS (eNOS) protein levels in croaker livers. Pharmacological treatment with vitamin E, an antioxidant, lowered the IL-1β, HIF-2α mRNA and eNOS protein levels in hypoxia-exposed fish and completely reversed the down-regulation of hepatic CYP1A mRNA and protein levels in response to hypoxia exposure. These results suggest that hypoxia-induced down-regulation of CYP1A is due to alterations of NO and oxidant status, and cellular IL-1β and HIF-α levels. Moreover, the present study provides the first evidence of a role for antioxidants in hepatic eNOS and IL-1β regulation in aquatic vertebrates during hypoxic stress.

Early degenerative effects of diabetes mellitus on pancreas, liver, and kidney in rats: an immunohistochemical study

Liver and kidney commonly affected by diabetes in chronic cases but pathogenetic mechanisms are not fully understood in early stages of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of caspase-3, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and-2, calcium sensing receptor (CSR), and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in pancreas, liver, and kidney in streptozotocin (STZ) induced DM. Study group (n = 6) were received streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) and control group (n = 6) physiologic saline. The blood glucose and ketonuria were measured, and necropsy was performed on them on third, fourth, and fifth days. Immunohistochemistry revealed that marked increase in caspase-3 reaction pancreas, liver, and kidney in the study group than control group. COX-1 slightly increased in these organs in study group compared to controls. Immunohistochemically COX-2 reaction was markedly positive in liver and kidney, but slightly increased in pancreas. The most increased reaction was observed in CRS and all organs were markedly positive. HIF-1α expression was also increased but the reaction was more severe in pancreas than liver and kidney. This study indicated that degeneration starts in organs in early stages of the disease and the most effective route for degeneration related to increase of calcium influx and hypoxia upon cells in DM.

Apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptides inhibit expression and activity of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in human ovarian cancer cell lines and a mouse ovarian cancer model

Our previous results demonstrated that the apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) mimetic peptides L-4F and L-5F inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor production and tumor angiogenesis. The present study was designed to test whether apoA-I mimetic peptides inhibit the expression and activity of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which plays a critical role in the production of angiogenic factors and angiogenesis. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to examine the expression of HIF-1α in tumor tissues. Immunoblotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and luciferase activity assays were used to determine the expression and activity of HIF-1α in human ovarian cancer cell lines. Immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated that L-4F treatment dramatically decreased HIF-1α expression in mouse ovarian tumor tissues. L-4F inhibited the expression and activity of HIF-1α induced by low oxygen concentration, cobalt chloride (CoCl(2), a hypoxia-mimic compound), lysophosphatidic acid, and insulin in two human ovarian cancer cell lines, OV2008 and CAOV-3. L-4F had no effect on the insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt, but inhibited the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p70s6 kinase, leading to the inhibition of HIF-1α synthesis. Pretreatment with L-4F dramatically accelerated the proteasome-dependent protein degradation of HIF-1α in both insulin- and CoCl(2)-treated cells. The inhibitory effect of L-4F on HIF-1α expression is in part mediated by the reactive oxygen species-scavenging effect of L-4F. ApoA-I mimetic peptides inhibit the expression and activity of HIF-1α in both in vivo and in vitro models, suggesting the inhibition of HIF-1α may be a critical mechanism responsible for the suppression of tumor progression by apoA-I mimetic peptides.

Decreased selenium-binding protein 1 enhances glutathione peroxidase 1 activity and downregulates HIF-1α to promote hepatocellular carcinoma invasiveness

PURPOSE

We aimed to characterize the role of selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invasiveness and underlying clinical significance.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

SBP1 expression was measured in stepwise metastatic HCC cell lines by Western blotting. The role of SBP1 in HCC was investigated using siRNA. Immunofluorescence analyses were used to detect the interaction between SBP1 and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1). Nineteen fresh tumor tissues and 323 paraffin-embedded samples were used to validate in vitro findings and to detect the prognostic significance of SBP1, respectively.

RESULTS

Inhibition of SBP1 effectively increased cell motility, promoted cell proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis only under oxidative stress; it also greatly enhanced GPX1 activity without altering GPX1 expression and downregulated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression. SBP1 and GPX1 formed nuclear bodies and colocalized under oxidative stress. In freshly isolated clinical HCC tissues, decreased SBP1 was linked with increased GPX1 activity and correlated with vascular invasion. Tumor tissue microarrays indicated that SBP1 was an independent risk factor for overall survival and disease recurrence; patients with lower SBP1 expression experienced shorter overall survival periods and higher rates of disease recurrence (P < 0.001). Further analyses indicated that the predictive power of SBP1 was more significant for patients beyond the Milan criteria than patients within the Milan criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased expression of SBP1 could promote tumor invasiveness by increasing GPX1 activity and diminishing HIF-1α expression in HCC; SBP1 could be a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis and guiding personalized therapeutic strategies, especially in patients with advanced HCC.

MAP17 and the double-edged sword of ROS

Reactive oxygen species, ROS, are beneficially involved in many signaling pathways that control development and maintain cellular homeostasis. In physiological conditions, a tightly regulated redox balance protects cells from injurious ROS activity, but if the balance is altered, it promotes various pathological conditions including cancer. Understanding the duality of ROS as cytotoxic molecules and key mediators in signaling cascades may provide novel opportunities for improved cancer therapy. MAP17 is a small 17-kDa non-glycosylated membrane protein that is overexpressed in many tumors of different origins, including carcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of MAP17 during cancer progression demonstrates that overexpression of the protein strongly correlates with the progression of most types of tumor. Tumor cells that overexpress MAP17 show an increased tumoral phenotype associated with an increase in ROS. However, in non-tumor cells MAP17 increases ROS, resulting in senescence or apoptosis. Therefore, in tumor cells, MAP17 could be a marker for increased oxidative stress and could define new therapeutic approaches. Here, we review the role of MAP17 as a putative oncogene, as well as its role in cancer and anticancer therapies.

Ruminant Nutrition Symposium: ruminant production and metabolic responses to heat stress

Heat stress compromises efficient animal production by marginalizing nutrition, management, and genetic selection efforts to maximize performance endpoints. Modifying farm infrastructure has yielded modest success in mitigating heat stress-related losses, yet poor production during the summer remains arguably the costliest issue facing livestock producers. Reduced output (e.g., milk yield and muscle growth) during heat stress was traditionally thought to result from decreased nutrient intake (i.e., a classic biological response shared by all animals during environmental-induced hyperthermia). Our recent observations have begun to challenge this belief and indicate heat-stressed animals employ novel homeorhetic strategies to direct metabolic and fuel selection priorities independently of nutrient intake or energy balance. Alterations in systemic physiology support a shift in carbohydrate metabolism, evident by increased basal and stimulated circulating insulin concentrations. Perhaps most intriguing given the energetic shortfall of the heat-stressed animal is the apparent lack of basal adipose tissue mobilization coupled with a reduced responsiveness to lipolytic stimuli. Thus, the heat stress response markedly alters postabsorptive carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism independently of reduced feed intake through coordinated changes in fuel supply and utilization by multiple tissues. Interestingly, the systemic, cellular, and molecular changes appear conserved amongst different species and physiological states. Ultimately, these changes result in the reprioritization of fuel selection during heat stress, which appears to be primarily responsible for reduced ruminant animal productivity during the warm summer months.

Hypoxia acts through multiple signaling pathways to induce metallothionein transactivation by the metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1)

Metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is essential for the induction of genes encoding metallothionein by metals and hypoxia. Here, we studied the mechanism controlling the activation of MTF-1 by hypoxia. Hypoxia activation of Mt gene transcription is dependent on the presence of metal regulatory elements (MREs) in the promoter of Mt genes. We showed that MREa and MREd are the main elements controlling mouse Mt-1 gene induction by hypoxia. Transfection experiments in Mtf-1-null cells showed that MTF-1 is essential for induction by hypoxia. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that MTF-1 DNA-binding activity was strongly enhanced in the presence of zinc but not by hypoxia. Notably, hypoxia inducible factor- (HIF) 1α was recruited to the Mt-1 promoter in response to hypoxia but not to zinc. MTF-1 activation was inhibited by PKC, JNK, and PI3K inhibitors and by the electron transport chain inhibitors rotenone and myxothiazol, but not by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. We showed that prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors can activate MTF-1, but this activation requires the presence of HIF-1α. Finally, HIF-dependent transcription is enhanced in the presence of MTF-1 and induction of an MRE promoter is stimulated by HIF-1α, thus indicating cooperation between these 2 factors. However, coimmunoprecipitation experiments did not suggest direct interaction between MTF-1 and HIF-1α.

Characterization of three IGFBP mRNAs in Atlantic croaker and their regulation during hypoxic stress: potential mechanisms of their upregulation by hypoxia

Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) play important roles in downregulating IGF activity and growth and development in vertebrates under hypoxic stress. However, the mechanisms of hypoxia regulation of IGFBPs in teleost fishes are unknown. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in hypoxia upregulation of IGFBPs in Atlantic croaker were investigated. Three croaker IGFBPs, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-5, were cloned and characterized. Chronic hypoxia exposure [dissolved oxygen (DO): 1.7 mg/l for 2-4 wk] caused significant increases in hepatic and neural IGFBP-1 mRNA expression compared with tissue mRNA levels in fish held under normoxic conditions (6.5 mg DO/l). Moreover, longer-term chronic hypoxia exposure (2-2.7 mg DO/l for 15-20 wk) caused significant increases in mRNA levels of all three IGFBPs in both liver and brain tissues. Hypoxia exposure also markedly increased superoxide radical (O(2)(·-), an index of ROS) production and HIF-1α mRNA and HIF-2α protein expression in croaker livers. Pharmacological treatment with an antioxidant attenuated the hypoxia-induced increases in O(2)(·-) production and HIFα mRNA and protein expression as well as the elevation of IGFBP-1 mRNA levels. These results suggest that the upregulation of IGFBP expression under hypoxia stress is due, in part, to alterations in the antioxidant status, which may involve ROS and HIFs.

Control of T(H)17/T(reg) balance by hypoxia-inducible factor 1

T cell differentiation into distinct functional effector and inhibitory subsets is regulated, in part, by the cytokine environment present at the time of antigen recognition. Here, we show that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a key metabolic sensor, regulates the balance between regulatory T cell (T(reg)) and T(H)17 differentiation. HIF-1 enhances T(H)17 development through direct transcriptional activation of RORγt and via tertiary complex formation with RORγt and p300 recruitment to the IL-17 promoter, thereby regulating T(H)17 signature genes. Concurrently, HIF-1 attenuates T(reg) development by binding Foxp3 and targeting it for proteasomal degradation. Importantly, this regulation occurs under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Mice with HIF-1α-deficient T cells are resistant to induction of T(H)17-dependent experimental autoimmune encephalitis associated with diminished T(H)17 and increased T(reg) cells. These findings highlight the importance of metabolic cues in T cell fate determination and suggest that metabolic modulation could ameliorate certain T cell-based immune pathologies.

Hypoxia-inducible factor in thyroid carcinoma

Intratumoural hypoxia (low oxygen tension) is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 is a transcription factor activated by hypoxia that regulates the expression of genes that promote tumour cell survival, progression, metastasis, and resistance to chemo/radiotherapy. In addition to hypoxia, HIF-1 can be activated by growth factor-signalling pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinases- (MAPK-) and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinases- (PI3K-) signalling cascades. Mutations in these pathways are common in thyroid carcinoma and lead to enhanced HIF-1 expression and activity. Here, we summarise current data that highlights the potential role of both hypoxia and MAPK/PI3K-induced HIF-1 signalling in thyroid carcinoma progression, metastatic characteristics, and the potential role of HIF-1 in thyroid carcinoma response to radiotherapy. Direct or indirect targeting of HIF-1 using an MAPK or PI3K inhibitor in combination with radiotherapy may be a new potential therapeutic target to improve the therapeutic response of thyroid carcinoma to radiotherapy and reduce metastatic burden.

Evidence for a stromal-epithelial "lactate shuttle" in human tumors: MCT4 is a marker of oxidative stress in cancer-associated fibroblasts

Recently, we proposed a new mechanism for understanding the Warburg effect in cancer metabolism. In this new paradigm, cancer-associated fibroblasts undergo aerobic glycolysis, and extrude lactate to "feed" adjacent cancer cells, which then drives mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative mitochondrial metabolism in cancer cells. Thus, there is vectorial transport of energy-rich substrates from the fibroblastic tumor stroma to anabolic cancer cells. A prediction of this hypothesis is that cancer-associated fibroblasts should express MCT4, a mono-carboxylate transporter that has been implicated in lactate efflux from glycolytic muscle fibers and astrocytes in the brain. To address this issue, we co-cultured MCF7 breast cancer cells with normal fibroblasts. Interestingly, our results directly show that breast cancer cells specifically induce the expression of MCT4 in cancer-associated fibroblasts; MCF7 cells alone and fibroblasts alone, both failed to express MCT4. We also show that the expression of MCT4 in cancer-associated fibroblasts is due to oxidative stress, and can be prevented by pre-treatment with the anti-oxidant N-acetyl-cysteine. In contrast to our results with MCT4, we see that MCT1, a transporter involved in lactate uptake, is specifically upregulated in MCF7 breast cancer cells when co-cultured with fibroblasts. Virtually identical results were also obtained with primary human breast cancer samples. In human breast cancers, MCT4 selectively labels the tumor stroma, e.g., the cancer-associated fibroblast compartment. Conversely, MCT1 was selectively expressed in the epithelial cancer cells within the same tumors. Functionally, we show that overexpression of MCT4 in fibroblasts protects both MCF7 cancer cells and fibroblasts against cell death, under co-culture conditions. Thus, we provide the first evidence for the existence of a stromal-epithelial lactate shuttle in human tumors, analogous to the lactate shuttles that are essential for the normal physiological function of muscle tissue and brain. These data are consistent with the "reverse Warburg effect," which states that cancer-associated fibroblasts undergo aerobic glycolysis, thereby producing lactate, which is utilized as a metabolic substrate by adjacent cancer cells. In this model, "energy transfer" or "metabolic-coupling" between the tumor stroma and epithelial cancer cells "fuels" tumor growth and metastasis, via oxidative mitochondrial metabolism in anabolic cancer cells. Most importantly, our current findings provide a new rationale and novel strategy for anti-cancer therapies, by employing MCT inhibitors.

Adipose tissue remodeling and obesity

To fulfill its role as the major energy-storing tissue, adipose has several unique properties that cannot be seen in any other organ, including an almost unlimited capacity to expand in a non-transformed state. As such, the tissue requires potent mechanisms to remodel, acutely and chronically. Adipocytes can rapidly reach the diffusional limit of oxygen during growth; hypoxia is therefore an early determinant that limits healthy expansion. Proper expansion requires a highly coordinated response among many different cell types, including endothelial precursor cells, immune cells, and preadipocytes. There are therefore remarkable similarities between adipose expansion and growth of solid tumors, a phenomenon that presents both an opportunity and a challenge, since pharmacological interventions supporting healthy adipose tissue adaptation can also facilitate tumor growth.

AP-1 transcription factor JunD confers protection from accelerated nephrotoxic nephritis and control podocyte-specific Vegfa expression

Genetic investigation of crescentic glomerulonephritis (Crgn) susceptibility in the Wistar Kyoto rat, a strain uniquely susceptible to nephrotoxic nephritis (NTN), allowed us to positionally clone the activator protein-1 transcription factor Jund as a susceptibility gene associated with Crgn. To study the influence of Jund deficiency (Jund^-/-) on immune-mediated renal disease, susceptibility to accelerated NTN was examined in Jund^-/- mice and C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) controls. Jund^-/- mice showed exacerbated glomerular crescent formation and macrophage infiltration, 10 days after NTN induction. Serum urea levels were also significantly increased in the Jund^-/- mice compared with the WT controls. There was no evidence of immune response differences between Jund^-/- and WT animals because the quantitative immunofluorescence for sheep and mouse IgG deposition in glomeruli was similar. Because murine Jund was inactivated by replacement with a bacterial LacZ reporter gene, we then investigated its glomerular expression by IHC and found that the Jund promoter is mainly active in Jund^-/- podocytes. Furthermore, cultured glomeruli from Jund^-/- mice showed relatively increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (Vegfa), Cxcr4, and Cxcl12, well-known HIF target genes. Accordingly, small-interfering RNA–mediated JUND knockdown in conditionally immortalized human podocyte cell lines led to increased VEGFA and HIF1A expression. Our findings suggest that deficiency of Jund may cause increased oxidative stress in podocytes, leading to altered VEGFA expression and subsequent glomerular injury in Crgn.

Sumoylation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α ameliorates failure of brain stem cardiovascular regulation in experimental brain death

BACKGROUND

One aspect of brain death is cardiovascular deregulation because asystole invariably occurs shortly after its diagnosis. A suitable neural substrate for mechanistic delineation of this aspect of brain death resides in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). RVLM is the origin of a life-and-death signal that our laboratory detected from blood pressure of comatose patients that disappears before brain death ensues. At the same time, transcriptional upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 in RVLM by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plays a pro-life role in experimental brain death, and HIF-1α is subject to sumoylation activated by transient cerebral ischemia. It follows that sumoylation of HIF-1α in RVLM in response to hypoxia may play a modulatory role on brain stem cardiovascular regulation during experimental brain death.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

A clinically relevant animal model that employed mevinphos as the experimental insult in Sprague-Dawley rat was used. Biochemical changes in RVLM during distinct phenotypes in systemic arterial pressure spectrum that reflect maintained or defunct brain stem cardiovascular regulation were studied. Western blot analysis, EMSA, ELISA, confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation demonstrated that drastic tissue hypoxia, elevated levels of proteins conjugated by small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1), Ubc9 (the only known conjugating enzyme for the sumoylation pathway) or HIF-1α, augmented sumoylation of HIF-1α, nucleus-bound translocation and enhanced transcriptional activity of HIF-1α in RVLM neurons took place preferentially during the pro-life phase of experimental brain death. Furthermore, loss-of-function manipulations by immunoneutralization of SUMO-1, Ubc9 or HIF-1α in RVLM blunted the upregulated nitric oxide synthase I/protein kinase G signaling cascade, which sustains the brain stem cardiovascular regulatory machinery during the pro-life phase.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

We conclude that sumoylation of HIF-1α in RVLM ameliorates brain stem cardiovascular regulatory failure during experimental brain death via upregulation of nitric oxide synthase I/protein kinase G signaling. This information should offer new therapeutic initiatives against this fatal eventuality.

Uncovering the role of hypoxia inducible factor-1α in skin carcinogenesis

The hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a pleiotropic transcription factor typically activated in response to low oxygen tension as well as other stress factors in normoxic conditions. Upon activation HIF-1α mediates the transcriptional activation of target genes involved in a variety of processes comprising stress adaptation, metabolism, growth and invasion, but also apoptotic cell death. The molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways and downstream targets evoked by the activation of HIF-1α in epidermal cells are becoming increasingly understood and underscore the participation of HIF-1α in crucial processes including malignant transformation and cancer progression. Recent studies have implicated HIF-1α as an integral part of the multifaceted signal transduction initiated by the exposure of keratinocytes to ultraviolet radiation B (UVB), which represents the most ubiquitous hazard for human skin and the principal risk factor for skin cancer. HIF-1α activation by UVB exposure contributes to either repair or the removal of UVB-damaged keratinocytes by inducing apoptosis, thus revealing a tumor suppressor role for HIF-1α in these cells. On the other hand, the constitutive expression of HIF-1α evoked by the mild hypoxic state of the skin has been implicated as a positive factor in the transformation of normal melanocytes into malignant melanoma, one of the most aggressive types of human cancers. Here we review the uncovered and complex role of HIF-1α in skin carcinogenesis.

Oxygen regulation of the epithelial Na channel in the collecting duct

The PO(2) within the kidney changes dramatically from cortex to medulla. The present experiments examined the effect of changing PO(2) on epithelial Na channel (ENaC)-mediated Na transport in the collecting duct using the mpkCCD-c14 cell line. Decreasing ambient O(2) concentration from 20 to 8% decreased ENaC activity by 40%; increasing O(2) content to 40% increased ENaC activity by 50%. The O(2) effect required several hours to develop and was not mimicked by the acid pH that developed in monolayers incubated in low-O(2) medium. Corticosteroids increased ENaC activity at each O(2) concentration; there was no interaction. The pathways for O(2) and steroid regulation of ENaC are different since O(2) did not substantially affect Sgk1, α-ENaC, Gilz, or Usp2-45 mRNA levels, genes involved in steroid-mediated ENaC regulation. The regulation of ENaC activity by these levels of O(2) appears not to be mediated by changes in hypoxia-inducible factor-1α or -2α activity or a change in AMP kinase activity. Changes in O(2) concentration had minimal effect on α- or γ-ENaC mRNA and protein levels; there were moderate effects on β-ENaC levels. However, 40% O(2) induced substantially greater total β- and γ-ENaC on the apical surface compared with 8% O(2); both subunits demonstrated a greater increase in the mature forms. The α-ENaC subunit was difficult to detect on the apical surface, perhaps because our antibodies do not recognize the major mature form. These results identify a mechanism of ENaC regulation that may be important in different regions of the kidney and in responses to changes in dietary NaCl.

Redox control of protein-DNA interactions: from molecular mechanisms to significance in signal transduction, gene expression, and DNA replication

Protein-DNA interactions play a key role in the regulation of major cellular metabolic pathways, including gene expression, genome replication, and genomic stability. They are mediated through the interactions of regulatory proteins with their specific DNA-binding sites at promoters, enhancers, and replication origins in the genome. Redox signaling regulates these protein-DNA interactions using reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species that interact with cysteine residues at target proteins and their regulators. This review describes the redox-mediated regulation of several master regulators of gene expression that control the induction and suppression of hundreds of genes in the genome, regulating multiple metabolic pathways, which are involved in cell growth, development, differentiation, and survival, as well as in the function of the immune system and cellular response to intracellular and extracellular stimuli. It also discusses the role of redox signaling in protein-DNA interactions that regulate DNA replication. Specificity of redox regulation is discussed, as well as the mechanisms providing several levels of redox-mediated regulation, from direct control of DNA-binding domains through the indirect control, mediated by release of negative regulators, regulation of redox-sensitive protein kinases, intracellular trafficking, and chromatin remodeling.

Dietary hyperglycemia, glycemic index and metabolic retinal diseases

The glycemic index (GI) indicates how fast blood glucose is raised after consuming a carbohydrate-containing food. Human metabolic studies indicate that GI is related to patho-physiological responses after meals. Compared with a low-GI meal, a high-GI meal is characterized with hyperglycemia during the early postprandial stage (0-2h) and a compensatory hyperlipidemia associated with counter-regulatory hormone responses during late postprandial stage (4-6h). Over the past three decades, several human health disorders have been related to GI. The strongest relationship suggests that consuming low-GI foods prevents diabetic complications. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes. In this aspect, GI appears to be useful as a practical guideline to help diabetic people choose foods. Abundant epidemiological evidence also indicates positive associations between GI and risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more recently, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in people without diabetes. Although data from randomized controlled intervention trials are scanty, these observations are strongly supported by evolving molecular mechanisms which explain the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia. This wide range of evidence implies that dietary hyperglycemia is etiologically related to human aging and diseases, including DR and AMD. In this context, these diseases can be considered as metabolic retinal diseases. Molecular theories that explain hyperglycemic pathogenesis involve a mitochondria-associated pathway and four glycolysis-associated pathways, including advanced glycation end products formation, protein kinase C activation, polyol pathway, and hexosamine pathway. While the four glycolysis-associated pathways appear to be universal for both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, the mitochondria-associated mechanism appears to be most relevant to the hyperglycemic, normoxic pathogenesis. For diseases that affect tissues with highly active metabolism and that frequently face challenge from low oxygen tension, such as retina in which metabolism is determined by both glucose and oxygen homeostases, these theories appear to be insufficient. Several lines of evidence indicate that the retina is particularly vulnerable when hypoxia coincides with hyperglycemia. We propose a novel hyperglycemic, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway, to complement the current theories regarding hyperglycemic pathogenesis. HIF is a transcription complex that responds to decrease oxygen in the cellular environment. In addition to playing a significant role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, under hyperglycemia HIF has been shown to increase the expression of HIF-inducible genes, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) leading to angiogenesis. To this extent, we suggest that HIF can also be described as a hyperglycemia-inducible factor. In summary, while management of dietary GI appears to be an effective intervention for the prevention of metabolic diseases, specifically AMD and DR, more interventional data is needed to evaluate the efficacy of GI management. There is an urgent need to develop reliable biomarkers of exposure, surrogate endpoints, as well as susceptibility for GI. These insights would also be helpful in deciphering the detailed hyperglycemia-related biochemical mechanisms for the development of new therapeutic agents.

Oxidative stress promotes myofibroblast differentiation and tumour spreading

JunD regulates genes involved in antioxidant defence. We took advantage of the chronic oxidative stress resulting from junD deletion to examine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumour development. In a model of mammary carcinogenesis, junD inactivation increased tumour incidence and revealed an associated reactive stroma. junD-inactivation in the stroma was sufficient to shorten tumour-free survival rate and enhance metastatic spread. ROS promoted conversion of fibroblasts into highly migrating myofibroblasts through accumulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α transcription factor and the CXCL12 chemokine. Accordingly, treatment with an antioxidant reduced the levels of HIF and CXCL12 and numerous myofibroblast features. CXCL12 accumulated in the stroma of HER2-human breast adenocarcinomas. Moreover, HER2 tumours exhibited a high proportion of myofibroblasts, which was significantly correlated to nodal metastases. Interestingly, this subset of tumours exhibited a significant nuclear exclusion of JunD and revealed an associated oxido-reduction signature, further demonstrating the relevance of our findings in human cancers. Collectively, our data uncover a new mechanism by which oxidative stress increases the migratory properties of stromal fibroblasts, which in turn potentiate tumour dissemination.

Iron-sulfur proteins in health and disease

Iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins are a class of ubiquitous components that assist in vital and diverse biochemical tasks in virtually every living cell. These tasks include respiration, iron homeostasis and gene expression. The past decade has led to the discovery of novel Fe/S proteins and insights into how their Fe/S cofactors are formed and incorporated into apoproteins. This review summarizes our current knowledge of mammalian Fe/S proteins, diseases related to deficiencies in these proteins and on disorders stemming from their defective biogenesis. Understanding both the physiological functions of Fe/S proteins and how Fe/S clusters are formed will undoubtedly enhance our ability to identify and treat known disorders of Fe/S cluster biogenesis and to recognize hitherto undescribed Fe/S cluster-related diseases.

A p38(MAPK)/HIF-1 pathway initiated by UVB irradiation is required to induce Noxa and apoptosis of human keratinocytes

The signal transduction pathways leading to apoptosis of human keratinocytes responding to UVB irradiation are complex and not completely understood. Previously, we reported that in UVB-irradiated keratinocytes, p38(MAPK) instigates Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) activation and mitochondrial apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the pro-apoptotic function of p38(MAPK) remained unclear. Here, we show that in UVB-treated human primary keratinocytes the activation of p38(MAPK) is necessary to upregulate Noxa, a BH3-only pro-apoptotic dominantly induced by UVB and required for apoptosis. Whereas p53-silencing was marginally cytoprotective and poorly affected Noxa expression, p38(MAPK) inhibition in p53-silenced keratinocytes or in p53(-/-) cells could still efficiently prevent Noxa induction and intrinsic apoptosis after UVB, indicating that p38(MAPK) signals mainly through p53-independent mechanisms. Furthermore, p38(MAPK) was required for the induction and activation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) in response to UVB, and HIF-1 knockdown reduced Noxa expression and apoptosis. In UVB-irradiated keratinocytes, Noxa targeted the anti-apoptotic myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (Mcl-1) for degradation, and small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of Noxa or p38(MAPK) inhibition restored levels of Mcl-1 and abolished apoptosis. Thus, the pro-apoptotic mechanisms orchestrated by p38(MAPK) in human keratinocytes in response to UVB involve an HIF-1/Noxa axis, which prompts the downregulation of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1, thereby favoring Bax-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis of UVB-damaged keratinocytes.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1/heme oxygenase 1 cascade as upstream signals in the prolife role of heat shock protein 70 at rostral ventrolateral medulla during experimental brain stem death

As the origin of a life-and-death signal that reflects central cardiovascular regulatory failure during brain stem death, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is a suitable neural substrate to delineate the cellular mechanisms of this fateful phenomenon. Based on a clinically relevant animal model that used the organophosphate pesticide mevinphos (Mev) as the experimental insult, we reported previously that heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in RVLM plays a prolife role by ameliorating circulatory depression during brain stem death. Because Mev also elicits significant hypoxia in RVLM, this study evaluated the hypothesis that the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1)/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) cascade acts as upstream signals in the prolife role of HSP70 at RVLM during experimental brain stem death. In Sprague-Dawley rats maintained under propofol anesthesia, transcription activity assay or Western blot analysis revealed an enhancement of nuclear activity of HIF-1alpha or augmentation of HO-1 and HSP70 expression in RVLM preferentially during the prolife phase of Mev intoxication. Loss-of-function manipulations in RVLM using HIF-1alpha, HIF-1beta, or HO-1 antiserum or antisense hif-1alpha or ho-1 oligonucleotide significantly antagonized the preferential upregulation of HSP70, depressed the sustained cardiovascular regulatory machinery during the prolife phase, and exacerbated circulatory depression during the prodeath phase. Immunoneutralization of HIF-1alpha also blunted the preferential increase in HO-1 expression. We conclude that the repertoire of cellular events in RVLM during the prolife phase in our Mev intoxication of brain stem death triggered by hypoxia entails sequential activation of HIF-1, HO-1, and HSP70, leading to neuroprotection by amelioration of cardiovascular depression.

Reactive oxygen species-generating mitochondrial DNA mutation up-regulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha gene transcription via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt/protein kinase C/histone deacetylase pathway

Lewis lung carcinoma-derived high metastatic A11 cells constitutively overexpress hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha mRNA compared with low metastatic P29 cells. Because A11 cells exclusively possess a G13997A mutation in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 (ND6) gene, we addressed here a causal relationship between the ND6 mutation and the activation of HIF-1alpha transcription, and we investigated the potential mechanism. Using trans-mitochondrial cybrids between A11 and P29 cells, we found that the ND6 mutation was directly involved in HIF-1alpha mRNA overexpression. Stimulation of HIF-1alpha transcription by the ND6 mutation was mediated by overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt and protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathways. The up-regulation of HIF-1alpha transcription was abolished by mithramycin A, an Sp1 inhibitor, but luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that Sp1 was necessary but not sufficient for HIF-1alpha mRNA overexpression in A11 cells. On the other hand, trichostatin A, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, markedly suppressed HIF-1alpha transcription in A11 cells. In accordance with this, HDAC activity was high in A11 cells but low in P29 cells and in A11 cells treated with the ROS scavenger ebselene, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, and the PKC inhibitor Ro31-8220. These results suggest that the ROS-generating ND6 mutation increases HIF-1alpha transcription via the PI3K-Akt/PKC/HDAC pathway, leading to HIF-1alpha protein accumulation in hypoxic tumor cells.

Redox-based escape mechanism from death: the cancer lesson

We review here current evidence on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and of the intracellular redox state in governing crucial steps of the metastatic process, from cell detachment from the primary tumor to final colonization of the distant site. In particular, we discuss the redox-dependent aspects of cell glycolytic metabolism (Warburg effect), of cell juggling between different motility styles (epithelial-to-mesenchymal and mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition), of cell resistance to anoikis and of cell interaction with the stromal components of the metastatic niche. Central to this overview is the concept that metastasis can be viewed as an integrated "escape program" triggered by redox changes and instrumental at avoiding oxidative stress within the primary tumor. In this novel perspective, metabolic, motility, and prosurvival choices of the cell along the entire metastatic process can be interpreted as exploiting redox-signaling cascades to monitor oxidative/reductive environmental cues and escape oxidative damage. We also propose that this theoretic framework be applied to "normal" evasion/invasion programs such as in inflammation and development. Furthermore, we suggest that the intimate connection between metastasis, inflammation, and stem cells results, at least in part, by the sharing of a common redox-dependent strategy for infiltration, survival, dissemination, and patterning.

Multiscale models of angiogenesis

Vascular disease, cancer, stroke, neurodegeneration, diabetes, inflammation, asthma, obesity, arthritis--the list of conditions that involve angiogenesis reads like main chapters in a book on pathology. Angiogenesis, the growth of capillaries from preexisting vessels, also occurs in normal physiology, in response to exercise or in the process of wound healing.Why and when is angiogenesis prevalent? What controls the process? How can we intelligently control it? These are the key questions driving researchers in fields as diverse as cell biology, oncology, cardiology, neurology, biomathematics, systems biology, and biomedical engineering. As bioengineers, we approach angiogenesis as a complex, interconnected system of events occurring in sequence and in parallel, on multiple levels, triggered by a main stimulus, e.g., hypoxia.

Clinical implications of hypoxia inducible factor in renal cell carcinoma

Management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has made considerable strides in the past decade, due in large part to identification of the von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor as a negative regulator of hypoxia inducible factor alpha (HIF-alpha) protein expression. Stabilization of HIF-alpha appears to be critical for renal tumorigenesis, and is observed even in VHL-independent RCC. Thus, an understanding of the pathways that regulate expression and activation of the different HIF-alpha isoforms is key to delineating the mechanism of renal transformation and for the development of novel therapeutics. A number of agents targeting HIF-alpha or its transcriptionally-regulated genes have shown promise in treatment of RCC. However, more effective treatment strategies are still needed. This report provides a directed review of recent discoveries defining the role of HIF in renal tumorigenesis and their relevance to the clinical advances in targeted therapy for advanced RCC.

20-HETE can act as a nonhypoxic regulator of HIF-1alpha in human microvascular endothelial cells

20-HETE increases the expression of VEGF in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (ECs). Since VEGF is regulated by hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1, we studied whether 20-HETE also upregulates HIF-1alpha using the stable 20-HETE analog 20-hydroxyeicosa-5(Z),14(Z)dienoic acid (WIT003; 1-10 microM) and found that it induced a marked increase in HIF-1alpha protein levels. The increases in VEGF after the addition of WIT003 preceded the changes in HIF-1alpha, and the increases in HIF-1alpha were prevented by a VEGF neutralizing antibody. This suggests that 20-HETE first causes increases in VEGF, which then, in turn, cause the upregulation of HIF-1alpha. Stimulation with exogenously added VEGF also led to an upregulation of HIF-1alpha. Incubation with the MEK1/ERK1/2 inhibitor U-0126 (10 microM) completely abolished the increases in VEGF and thus HIF-1alpha, suggesting the involvement of ERK1/2 activation. The addition of WIT003 resulted in a rapid and sustained increase in superoxide formation. When WIT003 was added in the presence of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine, no changes in superoxide, VEGF, or HIF-1alpha were observed. This suggests that NOS is responsible for the early changes in superoxide induced by WIT003. Furthermore, WIT003 induced the expression of the NADPH oxidase subunit p47(phox) in ECs before the increases in HIF-1alpha. Incubation with polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (400 U/ml), apocynin (100 microM), diphenylene iodonium (10 microM), or p47(phox) downregulation with small interfering (si)RNA all inhibited the increases in HIF-1alpha expression. This indicates that the early changes in superoxide lead to VEGF increases and thereby NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production, which is required for HIF-1alpha upregulation. We also found that the higher HIF-1alpha expression induced by WIT003 was accompanied by higher expression of erythropoietin receptor and angiopoietin-2 proteins. These increases were caused by HIF-1alpha because their levels were markedly decreased by siRNA downregulation of HIF-1alpha. 20-HETE may be a novel nonhypoxic regulator of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1alpha-regulated genes in ECs.

Inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor by phenethyl isothiocyanate

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a natural dietary isothiocyanate, has anti-cancer activity in various in vitro and in vivo models. PEITC inhibits angiogenesis but the molecular mechanisms that underlie this effect are not known. We have now demonstrated that PEITC is an effective inhibitor of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), a transcription factor that plays an important role in expression of pro-angiogenic factors. PEITC inhibited the activation of a HIF-dependent reporter construct following incubation of cells in hypoxia, or treatment with the hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride. PEITC also interfered with the accumulation of HIF1alpha protein and induction of the endogenous HIF target genes, CAIX, GLUT1, BNIP3 and VEGF-A. The ability of PEITC to inhibit HIF activity was independent of the activity of prolyl hydroxylases, the Von-Hippel-Landau protein and the proteasome, all of which are required for the normal rapid turnover of HIF1alpha in normoxia. Decreased expression of HIF1alpha in PEITC treated cells was not associated with changes in the levels of HIF1alpha RNA suggesting that PEITC may inhibit HIF activity by decreasing translation of the HIF1alpha RNA. Consistent with this, PEITC decreased phosphorylation of the translation regulator 4E-BP1. Our data demonstrate that PEITC is an effective inhibitor of HIF activity. This may contribute to the anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer effects of PEITC.

Can O2 dysregulation induce premature aging?

Chronic intermittent or episodic hypoxia, as occurs during a number of disease states, can have devastating effects, and prolonged exposure to this hypoxia can result in cell injury or cell death. Indeed, intermittent hypoxia activates a number of signaling pathways that are involved in oxygen sensing, oxidative stress, metabolism, catecholamine biosynthesis, and immune responsiveness. The cumulative effect of these processes over time can undermine cell integrity and lead to a decline in function. Furthermore, the ability to respond adequately to various stressors is hampered, and this is traditionally defined as premature aging or senescence. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are involved in the response to intermittent hypoxia and the potential interplay among various pathways that may accelerate the aging process.

Mitochondria and hypoxia-induced gene expression mediated by hypoxia-inducible factors

The influence of mitochondrial activity on gene expression programs, particularly those involved in neuroprotection and repair, is likely to play an important role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. One such gene expression program is activated by the cellular pathway that senses a decrease in optimal oxygen levels and leads to activation of a family of transcriptional activators called hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). HIFs are members of the bHLH-PAS family of transcription factors and are heterodimers composed of HIF-alpha and HIF-beta (also known as aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator) subunits that bind to canonical DNA sequences (hypoxia-regulated elements) in the promoters or enhancers of target genes. HIFs activate the expression of more than a hundred genes encoding proteins that regulate cell metabolism, survival, angiogenesis, vascular tone, hematopoiesis, and other functions. There is considerable evidence showing a bidirectional crosstalk between mitochondrial signals and HIF activity. For instance, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and metabolic substrates from the tricarboxylic acid cycle are implicated in the regulation of the HIF pathway. Conversely, HIF activity leads to the expression of target genes that influence mitochondrial function. In this chapter we will review the complex interactions between mitochondria and the HIF pathway and we will discuss the relevance of this interaction for metabolic adaptation to hypoxia.

Redox regulation of multidrug resistance in cancer chemotherapy: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

The development of multidrug resistance to cancer chemotherapy is a major obstacle to the effective treatment of human malignancies. It has been established that membrane proteins, notably multidrug resistance (MDR), multidrug resistance protein (MRP), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter family encoding efflux pumps, play important roles in the development of multidrug resistance. Overexpression of these transporters has been observed frequently in many types of human malignancies and correlated with poor responses to chemotherapeutic agents. Evidence has accumulated showing that redox signals are activated in response to drug treatments that affect the expression and activity of these transporters by multiple mechanisms, including (a) conformational changes in the transporters, (b) regulation of the biosynthesis cofactors required for the transporter's function, (c) regulation of the expression of transporters at transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels, and (d) amplification of the copy number of genes encoding these transporters. This review describes various specific factors and their relevant signaling pathways that are involved in the regulation. Finally, the roles of redox signaling in the maintenance and evolution of cancer stem cells and their implications in the development of intrinsic and acquired multidrug resistance in cancer chemotherapy are discussed.

Enhancement of hypoxia-induced gene expression in fish liver by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)

Fish in polluted coastal habitats commonly suffer simultaneous exposure to both hypoxia and xenobiotics. Although the adaptive molecular responses to each stress have been described, little is known about the interaction between the signaling pathways mediating these responses. Previous studies in mammalian hepatoma cell lines have shown that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)- and/or aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-activated gene expression is suppressed following co-exposure to hypoxia and the hallmark AhR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). However, whether similar crosstalk exists in the non-tumor liver tissues of fish and whether other non-TCDD ligands also play the same inhibitory role in this crosstalk remain unknown. Here, the in vivo hepatic mRNA expression profiles of multiple hypoxia- and AhR-responsive genes (later gene expression=mRNA expression of the gene) were examined in the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) upon single and combined exposures to hypoxia and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Combined exposure enhanced hypoxia-induced gene expression but did not significantly alter BaP-induced gene expression. Protein carbonyl content was markedly elevated in fish subjected to combined exposure, indicating accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Application of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) to hypoxia-treated grouper liver explants similarly exaggerated hypoxia-induced gene expression as in the combined stress tissues in vivo. These observations suggest that ROS derived from the combined hypoxia and BaP stress have a role in enhancing hypoxia-induced gene expression.

Biomarkers of oxidative stress and damage in human populations exposed to arsenic

Arsenic (As) is an ubiquitous element in the environment for which the main route of human exposure is through consumption of drinking water. Reactive oxygen species generation (ROS) associated with As exposure is known to play a fundamental role in the induction of adverse health effects and disease (cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases). However, the precise mechanisms of oxidative stress and damage from As exposure are not fully understood and moreover the use of non-invasive methods of measuring ROS generation and oxidative damage footprints in humans is no easy task. Although As induces adverse health effects not all exposed individuals develop degenerative chronic diseases or even manifest adverse effects or symptoms, suggesting that genetic susceptibility is an important factor involved in the human response to As exposure. This mini-review summarizes the literature describing the molecular mechanisms affected by As, as well as the most used biomarkers of oxidative stress and damage in human populations. The most reported biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage are the urinary excretion of 8-OHdG and the comet assay in lymphocytes, and more recently DNA repair mechanism markers from the base and nuclear excision repair pathways (BER and NER). Genetic heterogeneity in the oxidative stress pathways involved in As metabolism are important causative factors of disease. Thus further refinement of human exposure assessment is needed to reinforce study design to evaluate exposure-response relationships and study gene-environment interactions. The use of microarray-based gene expression analysis can provide better insights of the underlying mechanisms involved in As-induced diseases and could help to identify target genes that can be modulated to prevent disease.

Cell cycle regulation by oncogenic tyrosine kinases in myeloid neoplasias: from molecular redox mechanisms to health implications

Neoplastic expansion of myeloid cells is associated with specific genetic changes that lead to chronic activation of signaling pathways, as well as altered metabolism. It has become increasingly evident that transformation relies on the interdependency of both events. Among the various genetic changes, the oncogenic BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been a focus of extensive research. Transformation by this oncogene is associated with elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS have been implicated in processes that promote viability, cell growth, and regulation of other biological functions such as migration of cells or gene expression. Currently, the BCR-ABL inhibitor imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) is being used as a first-line therapy for the treatment of CML. However, BCR-ABL transformation is associated with genomic instability, and disease progression or resistance to imatinib can occur. Imatinib resistance is not known to cause or significantly alter signaling requirements in transformed cells. Elevated ROS are crucial for transformation, making them an ideal additional target for therapeutic intervention. The underlying mechanisms leading to elevated oxidative stress are reviewed, and signaling mechanisms that may serve as novel targeted approaches to overcome ROS-dependent cell growth are discussed.

Redox regulation of cell survival

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play important roles in regulation of cell survival. In general, moderate levels of ROS/RNS may function as signals to promote cell proliferation and survival, whereas severe increase of ROS/RNS can induce cell death. Under physiologic conditions, the balance between generation and elimination of ROS/RNS maintains the proper function of redox-sensitive signaling proteins. Normally, the redox homeostasis ensures that the cells respond properly to endogenous and exogenous stimuli. However, when the redox homeostasis is disturbed, oxidative stress may lead to aberrant cell death and contribute to disease development. This review focuses on the roles of key transcription factors, signal-transduction pathways, and cell-death regulators in affecting cell survival, and how the redox systems regulate the functions of these molecules. The current understanding of how disturbance in redox homeostasis may affect cell death and contribute to the development of diseases such as cancer and degenerative disorders is reviewed. We also discuss how the basic knowledge on redox regulation of cell survival can be used to develop strategies for the treatment or prevention of those diseases.