The changes in expression of uncoordinated 33-like phosphoprotein 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in neuroblastoma cells under hypoxic condition

Abstract

To study the differences in expression of uncoordinated 33-like phosphoprotein 1 (Ulip1) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in neuroblastoma cell lines that have neuronal characteristics under normoxia and hypoxia conditions. Two neuroblastoma cell lines (KCNR and BE2) which had neuronal characteristics were used in this study. The neuroblastoma cells were cultured under normoxic (20% of oxygen) or hypoxic (1% of oxygen) conditions for 4 hours, then cells were harvested and proteins were extracted. Western blotting was used to detect the levels of Ulip1 and HIF-1α. After 4-hour hypoxia treatment, the expression of HIF-1α increased significantly in both cell lines, while the expression of Ulip1a and Ulip1b, which were two isoforms of Ulip1, decreased. There was an 1.6-fold increase of HIF-1α expression in KCNR cells and 2.9-fold increase in BE2 cells; for Ulip1a expression, there was a 55% decrease in KCNR cells and a 20% decrease in BE2 cells; for Ulip1b expression, there was a 44% decrease in KCNR cells and a 13% decrease in BE2 cells. Ulip1 maybe involved in the hypoxia-induced damage or repair processes in neuronal cells through HIF-1α.