title: Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in murine macrophages by nitric oxide and hypoxia.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in murine peritoneal macrophages is strongly upregulated by hypoxia via transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) also upregulates expression of VEGF, as well as of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Hypoxia (1% O(2)) upregulates VEGF expression in macrophages from both wild-type and iNOS knockout mice, indicating that hypoxic upregulation of VEGF is independent of iNOS. However, the iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) decreases the VEGF expression induced by LPS/IFN-gamma, indicating an important role for NO. NO-dependent induction of VEGF is strongly dependent on cell density. LPS/IFN-gamma treatment induces minimal VEGF protein expression in macrophages cultured at low cell densities (<0.25 x 10(6) cells/cm(2)); at higher cell densities (>0.25 x 10(6) cells/cm(2)) that lead to conditions of pericellular hypoxia, however, induction of VEGF expression was strong. Transient transfection of RAW 264.7 cells with luciferase reporter constructs of the murine VEGF promoter indicates that both hypoxia and LPS/IFN-gamma independently induce VEGF promoter activity, irrespective of cell density. Although LPS/IFN-gamma treatment induces transcriptional activation of the VEGF promoter, significant levels of VEGF protein are only expressed by cells at high density under conditions of pericellular hypoxia. This suggests an important regulatory role for hypoxia at the posttranscriptional level. Deletion analysis of the VEGF promoter shows that the hypoxia response element region and its immediate flanking sequences are essential for both hypoxia and LPS/IFN-gamma-induced VEGF promoter activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Madhuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giladi
authors.forename: S Joseph
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leibovich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000166:cytology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008156:Luciferases; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse