title: Oxygen sensing and HIF-1 activation does not require an active mitochondrial respiratory chain electron-transfer pathway.
abstract: Hypoxia induces the stabilization and transcriptional activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) protein, the regulatory member of the HIF-1 complex. The molecular mechanisms that are responsible for oxygen sensing and the downstream pathways utilized by the hypoxic signal are still poorly understood. One hypothesis for oxygen sensing has postulated that reactive oxygen species generated at mitochondrial complex III are the initiators of the hypoxic signal. Here we find that mitochondrial DNA-less (rho(o)) cells have a normal response to hypoxia, measured at the level of HIF-1alpha protein stabilization, nuclear translocation, and its transcriptional activation activity. Furthermore, overexpression of catalase, either in the mitochondria or in the cytosol, fails to modify the hypoxia response indicating that hydrogen peroxide is not a signaling molecule in the hypoxic signaling cascade that culminates with HIF-1 activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-5099, USA. Vickram.Srinivas@mail.tju.edu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srinivas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leshchinsky
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sang
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minchenko
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caro
mesh_terms: D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004579:Electron Transport; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D010100:Oxygen