2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family as a molecular sensor for cellular oxygen and metabolic sensing

The Hypoxic Response: Huffing and HIFing

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) are heterodimeric (alpha/beta) transcription factors that play a fundamental role in cellular adaptation to low oxygen tension. In the presence of oxygen, the HIF-alpha subunit becomes hydroxylated at specific prolyl residues by prolyl hydroxylases. This post-translational modification is recognized by the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, which targets HIF-alpha for degradation. In the absence of oxygen, HIF-alpha hydroxylation is compromised and this subunit is stabilized. We have previously shown that the hypoxia-induced accumulation of HIF-alpha protein is strongly impaired by the inhibitor of diacylglycerol kinase, R59949. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms through which this inhibitor exerts its effect. We found that R59949 inhibits the accumulation of HIF-1/2alpha protein without affecting the expression of their mRNAs. We also determined that R59949 could only block the accumulation of HIF-alpha in the presence of VHL protein. In agreement with this, the binding of VHL to endogenous HIF-alpha was significantly enhanced after R59949 treatment, even under hypoxic conditions. In addition, we found that R59949 could stimulate prolyl hydroxylase both at 21% O2 as well as at 1% O2. Taken together, these results reveal that R59949 is an activator of HIF prolyl hydroxylases. This is of particular interest when we consider that, to date, mainly inhibitors of these enzymes have been described.

The human hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF-1 is a critical regulator of cellular and systemic responses to low oxygen levels. When oxygen levels are high, the HIF-1alpha subunit is hydroxylated and is targeted for degradation by the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL). This regulatory pathway is evolutionarily conserved, and the Caenorhabditis elegans hif-1 and vhl-1 genes encode homologs of the HIF-1alpha subunit and VHL. To understand and describe more fully the molecular basis for hypoxia response in this important genetic model system, we compared hypoxia-induced changes in mRNA expression in wild-type, hif-1-deficient, and vhl-1-deficient C. elegans using whole genome microarrays. These studies identified 110 hypoxia-regulated gene expression changes, 63 of which require hif-1 function. Mutation of vhl-1 abrogates most hif-1-dependent changes in mRNA expression. Genes regulated by C. elegans hif-1 have predicted functions in signal transduction, metabolism, transport, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We examined the in vivo requirement for 16 HIF-1 target genes and discovered that the phy-2 prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha subunit is critical for survival in hypoxic conditions. Some HIF-1 target genes negatively regulate formation of stress-resistant dauer larvae. The microarray data presented herein also provide clear evidence for an HIF-1-independent pathway for hypoxia response, and this pathway regulates the expression of multiple heat shock proteins and several transcription factors.

Effects of Pressure and Oxygen Concentration on Ignition and Combustion of Boron in Oxygen/Nitrogen Mixture Streams

1. Twenty normal subjects, twenty patients with emphysema and twenty with anaemia breathed 0·03% carbon monoxide for 45 min. For all sixty the mean increase in carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) was 4·5%. Patients with emphysema showed a significantly smaller increase than did the other two groups. 2. The mean decrease in oxygen content was 209 vol./100 ml and was significantly less in patients with emphysema than in the other two groups. 3. All sixty subjects showed a significant diminution in reaction speed to a visual stimulus, but no significant change in tests for depth perception and visual discrimination for brightness. 4. No differences among the three groups were observed in respect to these psychological tests. 5. It is concluded that COHb concentrations of 5% may adversely affect reaction time to visual stimuli and that patients with emphysema are less susceptible to accumulation of COHb and decrease in venous oxygen content than normal subjects or patients with anaemia.

oxygen gradients in tissues and cells are critical signals in a range of physiological processes including development, wound healing, and adaptation to hypoxia ([12][1]). Eukaryotic cells have evolved mechanisms for sensing changes in local oxygen tension and initiation of a response designed to

Obese white adipose tissue is hypoxic but is incapable of inducing compensatory angiogenesis. Brown adipose tissue is highly vascularized, facilitating delivery of nutrients to brown adipocytes for heat production. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which white and brown adipocytes respond to hypoxia. Brown adipocytes produced lower amounts of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) than white adipocytes in response to low O(2) but induced higher levels of hypoxia-associated genes. The response of white adipocytes to hypoxia required HIF-1α, but its presence alone was incapable of inducing target gene expression under normoxic conditions. In addition to the HIF-1α targets, hypoxia also induced many inflammatory genes. Exposure of white adipocytes to a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) ligand (troglitazone) attenuated induction of these genes but enhanced expression of the HIF-1α targets. Knockdown of PPARγ in mature white adipocytes prevented the usual robust induction of HIF-1α targets in response to hypoxia. Similarly, knockdown of PPARγ coactivator (PGC) 1β in PGC-1α-deficient brown adipocytes eliminated their response to hypoxia. These data demonstrate that the response of white adipocytes requires HIF-1α but also depends on PPARγ in white cells and the PPARγ cofactors PGC-1α and PGC-1β in brown cells.

Oxygen Sensors at the Crossroad of Metabolism

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1alpha) and its related factor, HLF, activate expression of a group of genes such as erythropoietin in response to low oxygen. Transfection analysis using fusion genes of GAL4DBD with various fragments of the two factors delineated two transcription activation domains which are inducible in response to hypoxia and are localized in the C-terminal half. Their sequences are conserved between HLF and HIF1alpha. One is designated NAD (N-terminal activation domain), while the other is CAD (C-terminal activation domain). Immunoblot analysis revealed that NADs, which were rarely detectable at normoxia, became stabilized and accumulated at hypoxia, whereas CADs were constitutively expressed. In the mammalian two-hybrid system, CAD and NAD baits enhanced the luciferase expression from a reporter gene by co-transfection with CREB-binding protein (CBP) prey, whereas CAD, but not NAD, enhanced beta-galactosidase expression in yeast by CBP co-expression, suggesting that NAD and CAD interact with CBP/p300 by a different mechanism. Co-transfection experiments revealed that expression of Ref-1 and thioredoxin further enhanced the luciferase activity expressed by CAD, but not by NAD. Amino acid replacement in the sequences of CADs revealed a specific cysteine to be essential for their hypoxia-inducible interaction with CBP. Nuclear translocation of thioredoxin from cytoplasm was observed upon reducing O2 concentrations.

Heme is a required prosthetic group in many electron transfer proteins and redox enzymes. The human BK channel, which is a large-conductance Ca(2+) and voltage-activated K(+) channel, is involved in the hypoxic response in the carotid body. The BK channel has been shown to bind and undergo inhibition by heme and activation by CO. Furthermore, evidence suggests that human heme oxygenase-2 (HO2) acts as an oxygen sensor and CO donor that can form a protein complex with the BK channel. Here we describe a thiol/disulfide redox switch in the human BK channel and biochemical experiments of heme, CO, and HO2 binding to a 134-residue region within the cytoplasmic domain of the channel. This region, called the heme binding domain (HBD) forms a linker segment between two Ca(2+)-sensing domains (called RCK1 and RCK2) of the BK channel. The HBD includes a CXXCH motif in which histidine serves as the axial heme ligand and the two cysteine residues can form a reversible thiol/disulfide redox switch that regulates affinity of the HBD for heme. The reduced dithiol state binds heme (K(d) = 210 nm) 14-fold more tightly than the oxidized disulfide state. Furthermore, the HBD is shown to tightly bind CO (K(d) = 50 nm) with the Cys residues in the CXXCH motif regulating affinity of the HBD for CO. This HBD is also shown to interact with heme oxygenase-2. We propose that the thiol/disulfide switch in the HBD is a mechanism by which activity of the BK channel can respond quickly and reversibly to changes in the redox state of the cell, especially as it switches between hypoxic and normoxic conditions.

Radiation quality and cellular oxygen concentration have a substantial impact on DNA damage, reproductive cell death and, ultimately, the potential efficacy of radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer. To better understand and quantify the effects of radiation quality and oxygen on the induction of clustered DNA lesions, we have now extended the Monte Carlo Damage Simulation (MCDS) to account for reductions in the initial lesion yield arising from enhanced chemical repair of DNA radicals under hypoxic conditions. The kinetic energy range and types of particles considered in the MCDS have also been expanded to include charged particles up to and including (56)Fe ions. The induction of individual and clustered DNA lesions for arbitrary mixtures of different types of radiation can now be directly simulated. For low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiations, cells irradiated under normoxic conditions sustain about 2.9 times as many double-strand breaks (DSBs) as cells irradiated under anoxic conditions. New experiments performed by us demonstrate similar trends in the yields of non-DSB (Fpg and Endo III) clusters in HeLa cells irradiated by γ rays under aerobic and hypoxic conditions. The good agreement among measured and predicted DSBs, Fpg and Endo III cluster yields suggests that, for the first time, it may be possible to determine nucleotide-level maps of the multitude of different types of clustered DNA lesions formed in cells under reduced oxygen conditions. As particle LET increases, the MCDS predicts that the ratio of DSBs formed under normoxic to hypoxic conditions by the same type of radiation decreases monotonically toward unity. However, the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of higher-LET radiations compared to (60)Co γ rays (0.24 keV/μm) tends to increase with decreasing oxygen concentration. The predicted RBE of a 1 MeV proton (26.9 keV/μm) relative to (60)Co γ rays for DSB induction increases from 1.9 to 2.3 as oxygen concentration decreases from 100% to 0%. For a 12 MeV (12)C ion (681 keV/μm), the 'predicted RBE for DSB induction increases from 3.4 (100% O(2)) to 9.8 (0% O(2)). Estimates of linear-quadratic (LQ) cell survival model parameters (α and β) are closely correlated to the Monte Carlo-predicted trends in DSB induction for a wide range of particle types, energies and oxygen concentrations. The analysis suggests α is, as a first approximation, proportional to the initial number of DSBs per cell, and β is proportional to the square of the initial number of DSBs per cell. Although the reported studies provide some evidence supporting the hypothesis that DSBs are a biologically critical form of clustered DNA lesion, the induction of Fpg and Endo III clusters in HeLa cells irradiated by γ rays exhibits similar trends with oxygen concentration. Other types of non-DSB cluster may still play an important role in reproductive cell death. The MCDS captures many of the essential trends in the formation of clustered DNA lesions by ionizing radiation and provides useful information to probe the multiscale effects and interactions of ionizing radiation in cells and tissues. Information from Monte Carlo simulations of cluster induction may also prove useful for efforts to better exploit radiation quality and reduce the impact of tumor hypoxia in proton and carbon-ion radiation therapy.

Background and AimsOxygen can fall to low concentrations within plant tissues, either because of environmental factors that decrease the external oxygen concentration or because the movement of oxygen through the plant tissues cannot keep pace with the rate of oxygen consumption. Recent studies document that plants can decrease their oxygen consumption in response to relatively small changes in oxygen concentrations to avoid internal anoxia. The molecular mechanisms underlying this response have not been identified yet. The aim of this study was to use transcript and metabolite profiling to investigate the genomic response of arabidopsis roots to a mild decrease in oxygen concentrations.MethodsArabidopsis seedlings were grown on vertical agar plates at 21, 8, 4 and 1 % (v/v) external oxygen for 0·5, 2 and 48 h. Roots were analysed for changes in transcript levels using Affymetrix whole genome DNA microarrays, and for changes in metabolite levels using routine GC-MS based metabolite profiling. Root extension rates were monitored in parallel to investigate adaptive changes in growth.Key ResultsThe results show that root growth was inhibited and transcript and metabolite profiles were significantly altered in response to a moderate decrease in oxygen concentrations. Low oxygen leads to a preferential up-regulation of genes that might be important to trigger adaptive responses in the plant. A small but highly specific set of genes is induced very early in response to a moderate decrease in oxygen concentrations. Genes that were down-regulated mainly encoded proteins involved in energy-consuming processes. In line with this, root extension growth was significantly decreased which will ultimately save ATP and decrease oxygen consumption. This was accompanied by a differential regulation of metabolite levels at short- and long-term incubation at low oxygen.ConclusionsThe results show that there are adaptive changes in root extension involving large-scale reprogramming of gene expression and metabolism when oxygen concentration is decreased in a very narrow range.

Tumor progression and metastasis depend on the ability of cancer cells to initiate angiogenesis to ensure delivery of oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors to tumor cells and provide access to the systemic circulation. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) can activate expression of a broad range of genes that mediate many of the adaptive responses to decreased oxygen concentration, such as enhanced glucose uptake and formation of new blood vessels. Acting through Plexin-B1 on endothelial cells, Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) has been shown to promote angiogenesis and enhance invasive growth and proliferation in some tumors. Here we show that the gene for Sema4D, the product of which is elevated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, contains upstream hypoxia response elements (HRE) and is strongly induced in hypoxia in a HIF-1-dependent manner. Knocking down Sema4D expression with short hairpin (sh) RNA reduces in vitro endothelial cell migration and growth and vascularity of HNSCC xenografts expressing a degradation resistant HIF-1alpha subunit. We also demonstrate a correlation between HIF-1 activity and Sema4D expression in HNSCC specimens. These findings indicate that Sema4D is induced by hypoxia in a HIF-1-dependent manner and influences endothelial cell migration and tumor vascularity. Expression of Sema4D may be a strategy by which carcinomas promote angiogenesis and therefore could represent a therapeutic target for these malignancies.

This experiment was conducted to observe the effect of the composition of atmospheric gases on the respiration of fruits and vegetables. The average of repiration rate of eggplants, Japanese pears, spinach and cauliflower (under storage in modified atmosphere) were lower than that under storage in air. Especially, the respiration rate of the products stored in modified atmosphere conta fined 5% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide was about half of that in air. (Experiment I.)It is clear that a decline in the respiration of these products in storge is brought about by a combination of super-normal carbon dioxide concentration and reduced oxygen concentration. However, the data in experiment I has not been elucidated which is the main fatter concerning the reduction in respiration.In order to test the precise contribution of each of these fatter, experiment II was conducted both tests on oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in atmospheric gases on the respiration of vegetables. Carbon dioxide test was carried out at the range of 0-20% and oxygen test was carried out at the range of 5-25%.In this experiment, the respiration rate of some vegetables could be controlled either by decrease of oxygen concentration or by increase of carbon dioxide concentration.It was found that there was three phases to control the respiration rate in practical CA-storage. Three phases were as follows: (1) decrease of oxygen concentration, (2) increase of carbon dioxide concentration and (3) both decrease of oxygen concentration and increase of carbon dioxide concentration. Vegetables showed pattern (1) were spinach, pea in pod, kidney bean, lettuce, bell peppers and eggplants. They were very sensitive to the oxygen content in atmospheric gases. Cauliflower belonged to pattern (2) which shows relatively sensitive carbon dioxide concentration. Other vegetables which are pattern (3) are strawberries, celery, tomatoes, welsh onion and garden asparagus. These vegetables were sensetive to carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration in the atmospheric gases. Thus, it was considered that the response of vegetables to special gases reducing the respiration was different from the kinds of vegetables.

In the guinea pig, during general hypoxia produced by shutoff of respiratory air, oxygen-sensitive microelectrodes detect a decrease in oxygen concentration in the fluids of the tunnel of Corti before detecting a decrease in scala media oxygen concentration. The present experiments were designed to measure the cochlear microphonic (CM) potential generated by the organ of Corti when vibrated by a microprobe on the basilar membrane along with the oxygen decline in both tunnel and scala media to see upon which source of oxygen CM is dependent. Because oxygen concentration in both areas can decrease considerably before CM is affected, the recovery following a brief period of hypoxia is a more accurate measure. Because CM starts a recovery before scala media oxygen, the positive endolymphatic potential (EP) was also measured to determine its role in the generation of CM. Our interpretation of the course of events is that CM is partially dependent upon oxygen supplied to the extracellular spaces of the organ of Corti by the spiral vessels and upon EP that, itself, is dependent upon several factors. The data indicate that EP plays a more complex role than that of providing a current flow for modulation by a resistance varying with vibration.