title: Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates heme oxygenase-1 gene expression by hypoxia in vascular cells.
abstract: Hypoxia induces the stress protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which participates in cellular adaptation. The molecular pathways that regulate ho-1 gene expression under hypoxia may involve mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and reactive oxygen. Hypoxia (8 h) increased HO-1 mRNA in rat pulmonary aortic endothelial cells (PAEC), and also activated both extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1)/ERK2 and p38 MAPK pathways. The role of these kinases in hypoxia-induced ho-1 gene expression was examined using chemical inhibitors of these pathways. Surprisingly, SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK, and PD98059, an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK1), strongly enhanced hypoxia-induced HO-1 mRNA expression in PAEC. UO126, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, enhanced HO-1 expression in PAEC under normoxia, but not hypoxia. Diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, also induced the expression of HO-1 in PAEC under both normoxia and hypoxia. Similar results were observed in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, hypoxia induced activator protein (AP-1) DNA-binding activity in PAEC. Pretreatment with SB203580 and PD98059 enhanced AP-1 binding activity under hypoxia in PAEC; UO126 stimulated AP-1 binding under normoxia, whereas diphenylene iodonium stimulated AP-1 binding under normoxia and hypoxia. These results suggest a relationship between MAPK and hypoxic regulation of ho-1 in vascular cells, involving AP-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Ryters@msx.upmc.edu
authors.forename: Stefan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ryter
authors.forename: Sichuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hartsfield
authors.forename: Augustine M K
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D004247:DNA; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases