title: Activation of HIF-prolyl hydroxylases by R59949, an inhibitor of the diacylglycerol kinase.
abstract: Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) are heterodimeric (alpha/beta) transcription factors that play a fundamental role in cellular adaptation to low oxygen tension. In the presence of oxygen, the HIF-alpha subunit becomes hydroxylated at specific prolyl residues by prolyl hydroxylases. This post-translational modification is recognized by the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, which targets HIF-alpha for degradation. In the absence of oxygen, HIF-alpha hydroxylation is compromised and this subunit is stabilized. We have previously shown that the hypoxia-induced accumulation of HIF-alpha protein is strongly impaired by the inhibitor of diacylglycerol kinase, R59949. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms through which this inhibitor exerts its effect. We found that R59949 inhibits the accumulation of HIF-1/2alpha protein without affecting the expression of their mRNAs. We also determined that R59949 could only block the accumulation of HIF-alpha in the presence of VHL protein. In agreement with this, the binding of VHL to endogenous HIF-alpha was significantly enhanced after R59949 treatment, even under hypoxic conditions. In addition, we found that R59949 could stimulate prolyl hydroxylase both at 21% O2 as well as at 1% O2. Taken together, these results reveal that R59949 is an activator of HIF prolyl hydroxylases. This is of particular interest when we consider that, to date, mainly inhibitors of these enzymes have been described.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Inmunología, Hospital de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Diego de León 62, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Temes
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martín-Puig
authors.forename: Bárbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Acosta-Iborra
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feijoo-Cuaresma
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olmos
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aragonés
authors.forename: Manuel O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Landazuri
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D019852:Diacylglycerol Kinase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052999:Quinazolinones; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010880:Piperidines; D011799:Quinazolines; D052999:Quinazolinones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C058544:R 59949; D011393:Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein; D019852:Diacylglycerol Kinase; C497446:VHL protein, human