title: Correlation between the expression of divalent metal transporter 1 and the content of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 in hypoxic HepG2 cells.
abstract: Transferrin and transferrin receptor are two key proteins of iron metabolism that have been identified to be hypoxia-inducible genes. Divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) is also a key transporter of iron under physiological conditions. In addition, in the 5' regulatory region of human DMT1 (between -412 and -570), there are two motifs (CCAAAGTGCTGGG) that are similar to hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) binding sites. It was therefore speculated that DMT1 might also be a hypoxia-inducible gene. We investigated the effects of hypoxia and hypoxia/re-oxygenation on the expression of DMT1 and the content of HIF-1alpha in HepG2 cells. As we expected, a very similar tendency in the responses of the expression of HIF-1alpha, DMT1+IRE (iron response element) and DMT1-IRE proteins to chemical (CoCl(2)) or physical hypoxia was observed. A highly significant correlation was found between the expression of DMT1 proteins and the contents of HIF-1 in hypoxic cells. After the cells were exposed to hypoxia and subsequent normoxia, no HIF-1alpha could be detected and a significant decrease in DMT1+IRE expression (P<0.05), but not in DMT1-IRE protein (versus the hypoxia group), was observed. The findings implied that the HIF-1 pathway might have a role in the regulation of DMT1+IRE expression during hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nautical Medicine and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ya
authors.forename: Du
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yung Wing
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Qian Zhong
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Ming
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2
chemical_list: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D003035:Cobalt; D051793:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D000099236:Solute Carrier Family 11, Member 2; C018021:cobaltous chloride