HIF-1? and HIF-2? degradation is differentially regulated in nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc.
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ABSTRACT: Studies of many cell types show that levels of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1? and HIF-2? are primarily controlled by oxygen-dependent proteasomal degradation, catalyzed by HIF prolyl-hydroxylases (PHDs). However, in the hypoxic niche of the intervertebral disc, the mechanism of HIF-? turnover in nucleus pulposus cells is not yet known. We show that in nucleus pulposus cells HIF-1? and HIF-2?, degradation was mediated through 26S proteasome irrespective of oxygen tension. It is noteworthy that HIF-2? degradation through 26S proteasome was more pronounced in hypoxia. Surprisingly, treatment with DMOG, a PHD inhibitor, shows the accumulation of only HIF-1? and induction in activity of its target genes, but not of HIF-2?. Loss and gain of function analyses using lentiviral knockdown of PHDs and overexpression of individual PHDs show that in nucleus pulposus cells only PHD2 played a limited role in HIF-1? degradation; again HIF-2? degradation was unaffected. We also show that the treatment with inhibitors of lysosomal proteolysis results in a strong accumulation of HIF-1? and to a much smaller extent of HIF-2? levels. It is thus evident that in addition to PHD2 catalyzed degradation, the HIF-1? turnover in nucleus pulposus cells is primarily regulated by oxygen-independent pathways. Importantly, our data clearly suggests that proteasomal degradation of HIF-2? is not mediated by a classical oxygen-dependent PHD pathway. These results for the first time provide a rationale for the normoxic stabilization as well as the maintenance of steady-state levels of HIF-1? and HIF-2? in nucleus pulposus cells.
SUBMITTER: Fujita N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3260409 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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