title: Regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha by nitric oxide through mitochondria-dependent and -independent pathways.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) has been reported both to promote and to inhibit the activity of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). In order to avoid the pitfalls associated with the use of NO donors, we have developed a human cell line (Tet-iNOS 293) that expresses the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) under the control of a tetracycline-inducible promoter. Using this system to generate finely controlled amounts of NO, we have demonstrated that the stability of the alpha-subunit of HIF-1 is regulated by NO through two separate mechanisms, only one of which is dependent on a functional respiratory chain. HIF-1alpha is unstable in cells maintained at 21% O(2), but is progressively stabilized as the O(2) concentration decreases, resulting in augmented HIF-1 DNA-binding activity. High concentrations of NO (>1 microM) stabilize HIF-1alpha at all O(2) concentrations tested. This effect does not involve the respiratory chain, since it is preserved in cells lacking functional mitochondria (rho(0)-cells) and is not reproduced by other inhibitors of the cytochrome c oxidase. By contrast, lower concentrations of NO (<400 nM) cause a rapid decrease in HIF-1alpha stabilized by exposure of the cells to 3% O(2). This effect of NO is dependent on the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, since it is mimicked by other inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration, including those not acting at cytochrome c oxidase. We suggest that, although stabilization of HIF-1alpha by high concentrations of NO might have implications in pathophysiological processes, the inhibitory effect of lower NO concentrations is likely to be of physiological relevance.
authors.affiliation: Fundación Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), C/Sinesio Delgado 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain. jmateo@cnic.es
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Lecea
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cadenas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moncada
mesh_terms: D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002460:Cell Line; D019069:Cell Respiration; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D014157:Transcription Factors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010100:Oxygen