title: c-Jun and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 functionally cooperate in hypoxia-induced gene transcription.
abstract: Under low-oxygen conditions, cells develop an adaptive program that leads to the induction of several genes, which are transcriptionally regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). On the other hand, there are other factors which modulate the HIF-1-mediated induction of some genes by binding to cis-acting motifs present in their promoters. Here, we show that c-Jun functionally cooperates with HIF-1 transcriptional activity in different cell types. Interestingly, a dominant-negative mutant of c-Jun which lacks its transactivation domain partially inhibits HIF-1-mediated transcription. This cooperative effect is not due to an increase in the nuclear amount of the HIF-1alpha subunit, nor does it require direct binding of c-Jun to DNA. c-Jun and HIF-1alpha are able to associate in vivo but not in vitro, suggesting that this interaction involves the participation of additional proteins and/or a posttranslational modification of these factors. In this context, hypoxia induces phosphorylation of c-Jun at Ser(63) in endothelial cells. This process is involved in its cooperative effect, since specific blockade of the JNK pathway and mutation of c-Jun at Ser(63) and Ser(73) impair its functional cooperation with HIF-1. The functional interplay between c-Jun and HIF-1 provides a novel insight into the regulation of some genes, such as the one for VEGF, which is a key regulator of tumor angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Arántzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfranca
authors.forename: M Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vara
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aragonés
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Manuel O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Landázuri
mesh_terms: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions / Q000378:metabolism; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008222:Lymphokines; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors