Stimulation of HIF-1alpha, HIF-2alpha, and VEGF by prolyl 4-hydroxylase inhibition in human lung endothelial and epithelial cells

Diminished alveolar and vascular development is characteristic of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) affecting many preterm newborns. Hypoxia promotes angiogenic responses in developing lung via, for example, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To determine if prolyl 4-hydroxylase (PHD) inhibition could augment hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and expression of angiogenic proteins essential for lung development, HIF-1alpha and -2alpha proteins were assessed in human developing and adult lung microvascular endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial-like cells treated with either the HIF-PHD-selective inhibitor PHI-1 or the nonselective PHD inhibitors dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG) and deferoxamine (DFO). PHI-1 stimulated HIF-1alpha and -2alpha equally or more effectively than did DMOG or DFO, enhanced VEGF release, and elevated glucose consumption, whereas it was considerably less cytotoxic than DMOG or DFO. Moreover, VEGF receptor Flt-1 levels increased, whereas KDR/Flk-1 decreased. PHI-1 treatment also increased PHD-2, but not PHD-1 or -3, protein. These results provide proof of principle that HIF stimulation and modulation of HIF-regulated angiogenic proteins through PHI-1 treatment are feasible, effective, and nontoxic in human lung cells, suggesting the use of PHI-1 to enhance angiogenesis and lung growth in evolving BPD.     

Effect of chemical stabilizers of hypoxia-inducible factors on early lung development

Low oxygen stimulates pulmonary vascular development and airway branching and involves hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF is stable and initiates expression of angiogenic factors under hypoxia, whereas normoxia triggers hydroxylation of the HIF-1alpha subunit by prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) and subsequent degradation. Herein, we investigated whether chemical stabilization of HIF-1alpha under normoxic (20% O(2)) conditions would stimulate vascular growth and branching morphogenesis in early lung explants. Tie2-LacZ (endothelial LacZ marker) mice were used for visualization of the vasculature. Embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) lung buds were dissected and cultured in 20% O(2) in the absence or presence of cobalt chloride (CoCl(2), a hypoxia mimetic), dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG; a nonspecific inhibitor of PHDs), or desferrioxamine (DFO; an iron chelator). Vascularization was assessed by X-gal staining, and terminal buds were counted. The fine vascular network surrounding the developing lung buds seen in control explants disappeared in CoCl(2)- and DFO-treated explants. Also, epithelial branching was reduced in the explants treated with CoCl(2) and DFO. In contrast, DMOG inhibited branching but stimulated vascularization. Both DFO and DMOG increased nuclear HIF-1alpha protein levels, whereas CoCl(2) had no effect. Since HIF-1alpha induces VEGF expression, the effect of SU-5416, a potent VEGF receptor (VEGFR) blocker, on early lung development was also investigated. Inhibition of VEGFR2 signaling in explants maintained under hypoxic (2% O(2)) conditions completely abolished vascularization and slightly decreased epithelial branching. Taken together, the data suggest that DMOG stabilization of HIF-1alpha during early development leads to a hypervascular lung and that airway branching proceeds without the vasculature, albeit at a slower rate.     

缺氧诱导因子与肾细胞癌关系的研究进展

缺氧诱导因子(hypoxia inducible factor,HIF)对维持肿瘤细胞的能量代谢、肿瘤血管生成、促进肿瘤细胞增殖和转移起着重要作用,是肿瘤细胞低氧条件下产生的关键信号分子。本综述旨在总结前人研究,阐述HIF与肾癌细胞之间的内在关系。HIF成员是参与肾癌细胞对缺氧应答反应中的关键因子,并通过靶基因的调节,促进新生血管的生成,导致肿瘤生长。其中,HIF-1α及HIF-2α在促进新生血管的生成方面发挥着主要作用。HIF-1α及HIF-2α与VEGF密切相关,随着其的表达增高,VEGF在数量上及m RNA水平上均显著增高,显示其可通过调控VEGF参与肾癌血管生成,而HIF-2α转录激活VEGF m RNA的特异性较HIF-1α更强。HIF-3α可能存在的负性调控作用,其异构体-4的作用可能与HIF-lα的负性调节有关,其可以阻止HIF-lα与下游靶基因的缺氧反应元件(hypoxia response elements,HRE)结合,同时可在转录水平抑制HIF-lα。HIF在未来可能有成为肾细胞癌治疗的靶点。     

Enhancement of angiogenic effectors through hypoxia-inducible factor in preterm primate lung in vivo

Development of lung microvasculature is critical for distal airway formation. Both processes are arrested in the lungs of preterm newborns with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic form of lung disease. We hypothesized that activation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) augments lung vascular development. Pulmonary angiogenic factors were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry in preterm baboons (125 days+14 days pro re nata O2 model) treated for 14 days with intravenous FG-4095, an inhibitor of prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing proteins (PHDs) that initiates HIF degradation. HIF-1alpha, but not HIF-2alpha, mRNA and protein were increased (8- and 3-fold, respectively) in FG-4095-treated baboons relative to untreated controls. Expression of PHD-1, -2, and -3 was unchanged. Of note, mRNA and/or protein for platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were increased by FG-4095. Moreover, PECAM-1-expressing capillary endothelial cells detected by immunohistochemistry were augmented in FG-4095-treated baboons to levels comparable to those in fetal age-matched controls. Alveolar septal cell expression of Ki67, a proliferative marker, and VEGF were similar in untreated controls and FG-4095-treated neonates. These results indicate that HIF stimulation by PHD inhibition enhances lung angiogenesis in the primate model of BPD.     

Regulation of limb development by the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor S1p1/EDG-1 occurs via the hypoxia/VEGF axis

Angiogenesis, also known as new blood vessel formation, is regulated coordinately with other tissue differentiation events during limb development. Although vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) is important in the regulation of angiogenesis, chondrogenesis and osteogenesis during limb development, the role of other angiogenic factors is not well understood. Sphingosine 1-phosphate, a platelet-derived lipid mediator, regulates angiogenesis and vascular maturation via its action on the G-protein-coupled receptor S1P(1) (also known as EDG-1). In addition to vascular defects, abnormal limb development was also observed in S1p(1)(-/-) mice. Here we show that strong induction of S1P(1) expression is observed in the blood vessels and the interdigital mesenchymal cells during limb development. Deletion of S1P(1) results in aberrant chondrocyte condensation and defective digit morphogenesis. Interestingly, the vasculature in the S1p(1)(-/-) limbs was hyperplastic and morphologically altered. In addition, the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha and its response gene VEGF were induced in S1p(1)(-/-) limbs. However, aberrant regulation of HIF-1 alpha and VEGF were not observed in embryonic fibroblasts derived from S1p(1)(-/-) mice, suggesting a non-cell autonomous effect of S1P(1) on VEGF expression. Indeed, similar limb defects were observed in endothelium-specific S1P(1) null mice in vivo. These data suggest that the function of S1P(1) in the developing vasculature is essential for proper limb development.     

VHL protein-interacting deubiquitinating enzyme 2 deubiquitinates and stabilizes HIF-1alpha

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha is a short-lived protein and is ubiquitinated and degraded through the von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL)-E3 ubiquitin ligase pathway at normoxia. Deubiquitination, by reversing ubiquitination, has been recognized as an important regulatory step in ubiquitination-related processes. Here, we show that pVHL-interacting deubiquitinating enzyme 2, VDU2, but not VDU1, interacts with HIF-1alpha. VDU2 can specifically deubiquitinate and stabilize HIF-1alpha and, therefore, increase expression of HIF-1alpha targeted genes, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These findings suggest that ubiquitination of HIF-1alpha is a dynamic process and that ubiquitinated HIF-1alpha might be rescued from degradation by VDU2 through deubiquitination. Although pVHL functions as a master control for HIF-1alpha stabilization, as pVHL-E3 ligase mediates the ubiquitination of both HIF-1alpha and VDU2, the balance between the pVHL-mediated ubiquitination and VDU2-mediated deubiquitination of HIF-1alpha provides another level of control for HIF-1alpha stabilization.     

Amplification of the angiogenic signal through the activation of the TSC/mTOR/HIF axis by the KSHV vGPCR in Kaposi's sarcoma

Background

Kaposi''s sarcoma (KS) is a vascular neoplasm characterized by the dysregulated expression of angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines. The driving force of the KS lesion, the KSHV-infected spindle cell, secretes elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), essential for KS development. However, the origin of VEGF in this tumor remains unclear.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we report that the KSHV G protein-coupled receptor (vGPCR) upregulates VEGF in KS through an intricate paracrine mechanism. The cytokines secreted by the few vGPCR-expressing tumor cells activate in neighboring cells multiple pathways (including AKT, ERK, p38 and IKKβ) that, in turn, converge on TSC1/2, promoting mTOR activation, HIF upregulation, and VEGF secretion. Conditioned media from vGPCR-expressing cells lead to an mTOR-dependent increase in HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein levels and VEGF upregulation. In a mouse allograft model for KS, specific inhibition of the paracrine activation of mTOR in non-vGPCR-expressing cells was sufficient to inhibit HIF upregulation in these cells, and abolished the ability of the vGPCR-expressing cells to promote tumor formation in vivo. Similarly, pharmacologic inhibition of HIF in this model blocked VEGF secretion and also lead to tumor regression.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings provide a compelling explanation for how the few tumor cells expressing vGPCR can contribute to the dramatic amplification of VEGF secretion in KS, and further provide a molecular mechanism for how cytokine dysregulation in KS fuels angiogenesis and tumor development. These data further suggest that activation of HIF by vGPCR may be a vulnerable target for the treatment of patients with KS.     

Rapamycin Inhibits Proliferation of Hemangioma Endothelial Cells by Reducing HIF-1-Dependent Expression of VEGF

Hemangiomas are tumors formed by hyper-proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. This is caused by elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling through VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Here we show that elevated VEGF levels produced by hemangioma endothelial cells are reduced by the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. mTOR activates p70S6K, which controls translation of mRNA to generate proteins such as hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). VEGF is a known HIF-1 target gene, and our data show that VEGF levels in hemangioma endothelial cells are reduced by HIF-1α siRNA. Over-expression of HIF-1α increases VEGF levels and endothelial cell proliferation. Furthermore, both rapamycin and HIF-1α siRNA reduce proliferation of hemangioma endothelial cells. These data suggest that mTOR and HIF-1 contribute to hemangioma endothelial cell proliferation by stimulating an autocrine loop of VEGF signaling. Furthermore, mTOR and HIF-1 may be therapeutic targets for the treatment of hemangiomas.