title: Loss of the SdhB, but Not the SdhA, subunit of complex II triggers reactive oxygen species-dependent hypoxia-inducible factor activation and tumorigenesis.
abstract: Mitochondrial complex II is a tumor suppressor comprised of four subunits (SdhA, SdhB, SdhC, and SdhD). Mutations in any of these should disrupt complex II enzymatic activity, yet defects in SdhA produce bioenergetic deficiency while defects in SdhB, SdhC, or SdhD induce tumor formation. The mechanisms underlying these differences are not known. We show that the inhibition of distal subunits of complex II, either pharmacologically or via RNA interference of SdhB, increases normoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, increases hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIF-alpha) stabilization in an ROS-dependent manner, and increases growth rates in vitro and in vivo without affecting hypoxia-mediated activation of HIF-alpha. Proximal pharmacologic inhibition or RNA interference of complex II at SdhA, however, does not increase normoxic ROS production or HIF-alpha stabilization and results in decreased growth rates in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the enhanced growth rates resulting from SdhB suppression are inhibited by the suppression of HIF-1alpha and/or HIF-2alpha, indicating that the mechanism of SdhB-induced tumor formation relies upon ROS production and subsequent HIF-alpha activation. Therefore, differences in ROS production, HIF proliferation, and cell proliferation contribute to the differences in tumor phenotype in cells lacking SdhB as opposed to those lacking SdhA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Ave., Ward Bldg. 12-191, Chicago, IL 60611. p-schumacker@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Guzy
authors.forename: Bhumika
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Navdeep S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Chandel
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Schumacker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D042963:Electron Transport Complex II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011485:Protein Binding; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D042963:Electron Transport Complex II; C511268:SDHA protein, human; C108095:SDHB protein, human; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase