HIF1A-AS2 predicts poor prognosis and regulates cell migration and invasion in triple-negative breast cancer

The aberrant expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A)-antisense RNA 2 (HIF1A-AS2) was found in various human cancers including breast cancer. The aim of this study was to present more evidence about the role HIF1A-AS2 on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In our results, HIF1A-AS2 was also found to be upregulated in TNBC tissues compared with non-TNBC tissues or adjacent normal tissues. Besides, HIF1A-AS2 expression was also elevated in TNBC cell lines compared with the normal breast epithelial cell line. Moreover, high expression of HIF1A-AS2 was associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and unfavorable histological grade in TNBC patients. Survival analysis showed a TNBC patient with high HIF1A-AS2 expression had shorter overall survival than patients with low HIF1A-AS2 expression, and HIF1A-AS2 high expression acted as an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival in TNBC patients. The cell migration and invasion assays suggested inhibition of HIF1A-AS2 obviously depressed TNBC cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, HIF1A-AS2 serves as a novel biomarker for predicting clinical progression and prognosis in TNBC.     

KLF7通过抑制缺氧诱导因子1α转录影响肉鸡脂肪组织发育

Krüppel样转录因子7(Krüppel-like factor 7, KLF7)是脂肪形成的负调控因子,而缺氧诱导因子1(hypoxia-inducible factor 1, HIF1)促进缺氧诱导的哺乳动物脂肪组织发育。本实验室前期利用ChIP-seq技术,发现在鸡的缺氧诱导因子1α(hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha, HIF1α)基因上游存在1个KLF7的结合峰,提示KLF7可能调控HIF1α基因转录。为此,本研究首先利用ChIP-PCR技术验证ChIP-seq结果,发现KLF7能够与HIF1α基因5′侧翼区结合。双荧光素酶报告基因与qRT-PCR结果显示,过表达KLF7能够显著下调HIF1α(-4 432/-4 182)的荧光素酶报告基因活性（P<0.01）,抑制HIF1α基因表达。与野生型质粒相比,将生物信息学预测的KLF7结合基序“TGCGCAGCAA”(-4 300/-4 290)缺失突变后, HIF1α(-4 432/-4 182)报告基因活性显著增强（P<0.01）。此外,选取第19代1～7周龄东北农业大学高、低脂双向选择品系肉鸡(Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content, NEAUHLF)作为实验材料,利用qRT-PCR检测HIF1α基因在肉鸡腹部脂肪组织中的表达规律。结果显示,HIF1α在1～7周龄高脂系肉鸡中的相对表达量均高于低脂系,提示HIF1α对鸡脂肪组织发育具有促进作用。在永生化鸡前体脂肪细胞系(immortalized chicken preadipocyte cell line, ICP1)诱导分化过程中,HIF1α相对表达量逐渐升高。综上所述,HIF1α是转录因子KLF7的一个靶基因,KLF7可能通过抑制HIF1α基因转录参与鸡脂肪组织发育过程。     

Rapamycin inhibits transforming growth factor β-induced peritoneal angiogenesis by blocking the secondary hypoxic response

Patients with end-stage kidney disease on peritoneal dialysis often develop progressive scarring of the peritoneal tissues. This manifests as submesothelial thickening and is associated with increased vascularization that leads to ultrafiltration dysfunction. Hypoxia induces a characteristic series of responses including angiogenesis and fibrosis. We investigated the role of hypoxia in peritoneal membrane damage. An adenovirus expressing transforming growth factor (TGF) β was used to induce peritoneal fibrosis. We evaluated the effect of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin, which has been previously shown to block hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1α. We also assessed the effect of HIF1α independently using an adenovirus expressing active HIF1α. To identify the TGFβ1-independent effects of HIF1α, we expressed HIF1α in the peritoneum of mice lacking the TGFβ signalling molecule Smad3. We demonstrate that TGFβ-induced fibroproliferative tissue is hypoxic. Rapamycin did not affect the early angiogenic response, but inhibited angiogenesis and submesothelial thickening 21 days after induction of fibrosis. In primary mesothelial cell culture, rapamycin had no effect on TGFβ-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) but did suppress hypoxia-induced VEGF. HIF1α induced submesothelial thickening and angiogenesis in peritoneal tissue. The fibrogenic effects of HIF1α were Smad3 dependent. In summary, submesothelial hypoxia may be an important secondary factor, which augments TGFβ-induced peritoneal injury. The hypoxic response is mediated partly through HIF1α and the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin blocks the hypoxic-induced angiogenic effects but does not affect the direct TGFβ-mediated fibrosis and angiogenesis.     

HIF 在心肌缺血再灌注中的作用

缺氧诱导因子(HIF)是参与缺氧转录反应调控的转录调控因子,HIF的活化在缺氧时细胞中保护起重要作用,HIF及HIF依赖的基因如诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)、血红素氧合酶(HO-1)的激活可减轻心脏的缺血-再灌注损伤,HIF调节的基因表达可能介导了缺血预处理和缺血后处理的保护作用。本文对HIF在心肌缺血再灌注损伤中的保护作用予以综述。     

pVHL-independent ubiquitination of HIF1alpha and its stabilization by cobalt ion

Recent studies have shown that hypoxia-inducible factor1alpha (HIF1alpha) is ubiquitinated by an E3-ligase complex containing von Hippel-Lindau gene product (pVHL) after which it is targeted for proteasomal degradation. In this study, we showed that HIF1alpha was stabilized in the pVHL-deficient cell line 786-0 treated with a proteasome inhibitor or Co(2+). This suggests that HIF1alpha is also ubiquitinated by a pVHL-independent pathway and that its stability is regulated by Co(2+). Indeed, using the COS cell expression system, we confirmed that HIF1alpha is ubiquitinated at the N-terminal region by a pVHL-independent pathway and that its degradation is inhibited by Co(2+). We also demonstrated that Co(2+) binds to both PAS domains in the N-terminal region of HIF1alpha. These observations imply that the stability of HIF1alpha is regulated by an additional pathway through the cobalt binding of PAS domains.