title: Impact of HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha on proliferation and migration of human pulmonary artery fibroblasts in hypoxia.
abstract: Proliferation of adventitial fibroblasts of small intrapulmonary arteries (FBPA) has been disclosed as an early event in the development of pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale in response to hypoxia. We investigated the role of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF) in human FBPA exposed to hypoxia. Primary cultures of FBPA displayed a strong mitogenic response to 24 h hypoxia, whereas the rate of apoptosis was significantly suppressed. In addition, the migration of FBPA was strongly increased under hypoxic conditions but not the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. Hypoxia induced a marked up-regulation (protein level) of both HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha, alongside with nuclear translocation of these transcription factors. Specific inhibition of either HIF-1alpha or HIF-2alpha was achieved by RNA interference technology, as proven by HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha mRNA and protein analysis and expression analysis of HIF downstream target genes. With the use of this approach, the hypoxia-induced proliferative response of the FBPA was found to be solely HIF-2alpha dependent, whereas the migratory response was significantly reduced by both HIF-1alpha and HIF-2alpha interference. In conclusion, HIF up-regulation is essential for hypoxic cellular responses in human pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts such as proliferation and migration, mimicking the pulmonary hypertensive phenotype in vivo. Differential HIF subtype dependency was noted, with HIF-2alpha playing a predominant role, which may offer future intervention strategies.
authors.affiliation: University of Giessen Lung Center (UGLC), Medical Clinic II, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eul
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krick
authors.forename: Rajkumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Savai
authors.forename: Parag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klepetko
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grimminger
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weissmann
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seeger
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hänze
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000166:cytology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D010100:Oxygen; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1; C497442:HIF1A protein, human