Comparação do uso de noradrenalina, nitroprussiato e levosimendan na terapia do choque hipovolêmico: efeitos sobre a microcirculação e expressão gênica renal

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos sistêmicos, microcirculatórios assim como mudanças na expressão gênica renal, causados pela ação da noradrenalina, nitropussiato de sódio e levosimendan no tratamento do choque hemorrágico. Nesse estudo foi utilizado o modelo da câmara dorsal.Os animais foram sujeitos a choque hemorrágico e após, foram aleatoriamente divididos em quatro grupos. Os grupos foram: CTRL, recebeu apenas ringer lactato; NPS recebeu ringer lactato com nitroprussiato de sódio; NA recebeu ringer lactato com noradrenalina e LEV, recebeu ringer lactato com levosimendan. Foram avaliados parâmetros sistêmicos, assim como parâmetros microcirculatórios (comparados como percentual em relação ao momento basal). Além disso, foi avaliada a expressão gênica renal de eNOS, HIF-1α, ICAM e caspase-3. O grupo NPS apresentou uma recuperação sustentada do diâmetro arteriolar ( 89 12 %) e DCF (125 114 %) ao final do tratamento. Houve recuperação da velocidade de hemácias nos grupos CTRL e NPS. Não houve diferença em relação ao número de leucócitos aderidos e/ou rolantes ao final do tratamento. A expressão gênica renal de eNOS e caspase-3 entre os grupos não apontou diferenças, entretanto houve diferença significativa na expressão renal de HIF- 1α no grupo NA (0,65 0,08, UA) em relação ao grupo CTRL (0,44 0,06, UA) e LEV (0,45 0,06, UA). Todos os grupos tiveram uma maior expressão de ICAM (0,65 0,12; 0,7 0,12; 0,069 0,06; 0,65 0,12, UA) em relação ao grupo SHAM (0,50 0,05, UA). Ringer lactato puro ou associado com noradrenalina ou levosimendan não foram suficientes para recuperar e sustentar os parâmetros microvasculares. O tratamento com nitroprussiato de sódio foi o que apresentou os melhores resultados, com recuperação dos diâmetros arteriolar, da DCF e velocidade de hemácias.

U19/Eaf2 Binds to and Stabilizes von Hippel-Lindau Protein

Studies have firmly established a key regulatory role for the tumor suppressor pVHL in the regulation of the vascular system and normal spermatogenesis. Here, we report that knockout of the newly identified tumor suppressor U19/Eaf2 also caused vascular system abnormalities and aspermatogenesis, suggesting a potential link between U19/Eaf2 and pVHL. Coimmunoprecipitation and in vitro binding assays showed an association between U19/Eaf2 and pVHL, whereas deletion mutagenesis revealed the requirement of the NH2 terminus of U19/Eaf2 and both the alpha and beta domains of pVHL for this binding. U19/Eaf2 stabilizes pVHL, as shown by protein stability and pulse-chase studies. Testes and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) derived from U19/Eaf2 knockout mice expressed reduced levels of pVHL, indicating that full in vivo expression of pVHL indeed requires U19/Eaf2. As expected, U19/Eaf2 knockout MEF cells exhibited an increased level and activity of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1 alpha), a protein typically regulated via a pVHL-mediated degradation pathway. Furthermore, angiogenesis in a Matrigel plug assay was significantly increased in U19/Eaf2 knockout mice. The above observations argue that U19/Eaf2 can modulate HIF1 alpha and angiogenesis, possibly via direct binding and stabilization of pVHL. [Cancer Res 2009;69(6):2599-606]

海洋放线菌来源的化合物卡拉霉素(kalamycin)的抗肿瘤作用和机制研究

海洋生态环境的特殊性决定了海洋中往往含有结构奇特、新颖的化学物质， 海洋药物具有药理特异性、高活性和多样性，已成为药物研发热点领域，海洋抗肿瘤药物也是其中之一。卡拉霉素（kalamycin）来源于海洋放线菌M097的聚酮类化合物，我们实验室用体外增殖抑制试验发现了卡拉霉素（kalamycin）的抗肿瘤作用。有报道其类似物lactoquinomycin和frenolicin B是肿瘤靶点AKT抑制剂，并由此推断吡喃萘醌骨架在AKT抑制过程中发挥主要作用，我们发现虽然卡拉霉素（kalamycin）含有吡喃萘醌骨架，但是并不抑制AKT及其下游信号系统；继而对卡拉霉素（kalamycin）的体外抗肿瘤作用及其机理进行了系统的分析。 采用磺酰罗丹明B（SRB）法检测卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对10株肿瘤细胞株的体外增殖抑制作用，结果表明，卡拉霉素（kalamycin）能明显抑制各种组织来源的肿瘤细胞生长，具有广泛的细胞增殖抑制作用，除对一株肺癌细胞A549抑制作用不明显外，对9株肿瘤细胞株的IC50平均值为2.5μM，并且对各个细胞株生长抑制曲线形态基本一致。采用流式细胞术证实，卡拉霉素（kalamycin）能剂量依赖地诱导结肠癌细胞HCT-116和肝癌细胞SMMC-7721发生G2/M期周期阻滞，可以诱导黑色素瘤A375细胞发生凋亡。 基于前人的报道，我们用Western blot方法检测卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对AKT信号系统的影响，用量从1μM增加到16μM，AKT、mTOR和磷酸化AKT、mTOR、GSK3β的总量都没有变化；因此我们判断卡拉霉素（kalamycin）不是通过AKT系统发挥作用，而是有另外的机制。细胞凋亡和周期阻滞的很多过程是和P53相关的，我们用卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对P53野生和缺失的HCT-116细胞的增殖抑制和凋亡诱导来分析该抑制作用是否和P53相关，结果显示卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对两种细胞的生长抑制和诱导凋亡作用无明显差异，其作用和P53途径是不相关的。 卡拉霉素（kalamycin）细胞增殖抑制作用的非选择性，表明该化合物是一个广谱的细胞增殖抑制剂。我们用体外酶反应实验分析了卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对拓扑酶的抑制作用，结果显示卡拉霉素（kalamycin）对Topo I没有抑制作用，在20μM时几乎完全抑制Topo II，呈现出显著的浓度依赖效应，抑制作用大约比VP16强十倍。用DNA伸展实验和Topo II 介导的负超螺旋 pBR322 切割实验，证实卡拉霉素（kalamycin）不是DNA嵌入剂和Topo II毒剂，而是一个催化抑制剂。在体外模拟Topo II的催化反应步骤，把整个过程分解，发现卡拉霉素（kalamycin）可以抑制Topo II介导的DNA的切割，但是对再连接没有作用；卡拉霉素（kalamycin）能抑制ATP水解的作用，但是在较高剂量时抑制作用要比阳性对照弱得多。因此，卡拉霉素（kalamycin）可能主要通过抑制Topo II介导的DNA的切割发挥作用。 肿瘤新血管生成是原发性肿瘤赖以发生、生长和转移的物质基础。我们用了多个新生血管生成模型对卡拉霉素（kalamycin）的抗新生血管生成作用进行了检测，发现卡拉霉素（kalamycin） 对内皮细胞管腔形有抑制作用，其作用效果呈现明显的剂量依赖性。卡拉霉素（kalamycin）在对内皮细胞HMEC-1在12小时内的IC50是4.39μM ，在没有显著增殖抑制作用的剂量下，对HMEC-1管腔形成依然具有抑制作用，提示卡拉霉素（kalamycin）的抗新生血管生成作用并非完全来源于其增殖抑制作用。通过体外酶反应、western blot和双荧光素酶报告基因系统分析卡拉霉素（kalamycin）抑制肿瘤新血管生成的信号途径，结果发现这种抑制作用不是依赖于酪氨酸激酶和HIF-lα途径的。 综上所述，卡拉霉素（kalamycin）不是一个AKT抑制剂，它通过专一性的抑制Topo II使肿瘤细胞发生周期阻滞和细胞凋亡，主要抑制Topo II介导的DNA的切割和ATP水解作用。同时卡拉霉素（kalamycin）可以抑制肿瘤血管管腔形成，抑制作用不依赖酪氨酸激酶和HIF-lα途径。

高原鼠兔低氧诱导因子-1α的初步研究

高寒和缺氧是高原地区的两个重要的限制生态因子，高原土著动物在长期的适应进化过程中必将形成自己独特的低温、低氧适应策略。高原鼠兔（Ochotona curzoniae）是生活在青藏高原海拔以上地区的特有物种，具有极强的低温、低氧耐受能力。它主要通过高的基础代谢率和增加非颤抖性产热以及高的氧利用率来适应高寒、缺氧环境[1-4] 。低氧诱导因子-l（Hypoxia-Induced FacHIF一l）是 1992年Semanza等在低氧的肝癌细胞株Hep3B中发现的一种特异性结合于红细胞生成素（EPO）增强子寡核昔酸序列的转录因子[5]，它HIF-la和HIF-lβ/ARNT两个亚单位组成［6〕。HIF-l。受低氧诱导，属功能性亚基，HIF-1侧ARNT在细胞中构建型表达，不受低氧诱导[7]。为进一步揭示原鼠兔低氧适应的分子机理，我们正在克隆高原鼠兔HIF-1。基因的CDNA全长，并试图对其在低氧适应中的作用进行研究，本文报道了高原鼠兔低氧诱导因子-la编码区部分片段的克隆。

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha cDNA cloning and its mRNA and protein tissue specific expression in domestic yak (Bos grunniens) from Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Adaptation to hypoxia is regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a heterodimeric transcription factor consisting of an oxygen-regulated a-subunit and a constitutively expressed beta-subunit. How animals living on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau adapt to the extreme hypoxia environment is known indistinctly. In this study, the Qinghai yak which has been living at 3000-5000 m attitude for at least two millions of years was selected as the model of high hypoxia-tolerant adaptation species. The HIF-1 alpha ORFs (open reading frames) encoding for two isoforms of HIF-1 alpha have been cloned from the brain of the domestic yak. Its expression of HIF-1 alpha was analyzed at both mRNA and protein levels in various tissues. Both its HIF-1 alpha mRNA and protein are tissue specific expression. Its HIF-1 alpha protein's high expression in the brain, lung, and kidney showed us that HIF-1 alpha protein may play an important role in the adaptation to hypoxia environment. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cloning of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha cDNA from a high hypoxia tolerant mammal - plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae)

Hypoxia-inducible factor I is a transcription factor composed of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta. It plays an important role in the signal transduction of cell response to hypoxia. Plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is a high hypoxia-tolerant and cold adaptation species livin only at 3000-5000m above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this study, HIF-1alpha cDNA of plateau pika was cloned and its expression in various tissues was studied. The results indicated that plateau pika HIF-1alpha cDNA was highly identical to those of the human (82%), bovine (89%), mouse (82%), and Norway rat (77%). The deduced amino acid sequence (822 bp) showed 90%, 92%, 86%, and 86% identities with those of the human, bovine, house mouse, and Norway rat, respectively. Northern blot analyses detected two isoforms named pLHIF-1alpha and pSHIF-1alpha. The HIF-1alpha mRNA was highly expressed in the brain and kidney, and much less in the heart, lung, liver, muscle, and spleen, which was quite different from the expression pattern of mouse mRNA. Meanwhile, a new variant of plateau pika HIF-1alpha mRNA was identified by RT-PCR and characterized. The deduced protein, composed of 536 amino acids, lacks a part of the oxygen-dependent degradation domain (ODD), both transactivation domains (TADs), and the nuclear localization signal motif (NLS). Our results suggest that HIF-1alpha may play an important role in the pika's adaptation to hypoxia, especially in brain and kidney, and pika HIF-1alpha function pattern may be different from that of mouse HIF-1alpha. Further-more, for the high ratio of HIF-1alpha homology among the animals, the HIF-1alpha gene may be a good phylogenetic performer in recovering the true phylogenetic relationships among taxa. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-parametric metabolic assessment of cells under stress conditions

Glycolysis, glutaminolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation are the main metabolic pathways. Exposing cells to key metabolic substrates (glucose, glutamine and pyruvate); investigation of the contribution of substrates in stress conditions such as uncoupling and hypoxia was conducted. Glycolysis, O2 consumption, O2 and ATP levels and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) signalling in PC12 cells were investigated. Upon uncoupling with FCCP mitochondria were depolarised similarly in all cases, but a strong increase in respiration was only seen in the cells fed on glutamine with either glucose or pyruvate. Inhibition of glutaminolysis reversed the glutamine dependant effect. Differential regulation of the respiratory response to FCCP by metabolic environment suggests mitochondrial uncoupling has a potential for substrate-specific inhibition of cell function. At reduced O2 availability (4 % and 0 % O2), cell bioenergetics and local oxygenation varied depending on the substrate composition. Results indicate that both supply and utilisation of key metabolic substrates can affect the pattern of HIF-1/2α accumulation by differentially regulating iO2¬, ATP levels and Akt/Erk/AMPK pathways. Inhibition of key metabolic pathways can modulate HIF regulatory pathways, metabolic responses and survival of cancer cells in hypoxia. Hypoxia leads to transcriptional activation, by HIF, of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase which phosphorylates and inhibits PDH, a mitochondrial enzyme that converts pyruvate into acetyl-CoA. The levels of PDH (total and phosphorylated), PDH kinase and HIF-1α were analysed in HCT116 and HCT116 SCO2-/- (deficient in complex IV of the respiratory chain) grown under 20.9 % and 3 % O2. Data indicate that regulation of PDH can occur in a manner independent of the HIF-1/PDH kinase 1 axis, mitochondrial respiration and the demand for acetyl-CoA. Collectively these results can be applied to many diseases; reduced nutrient supply and O2 during ischemia/stroke, hypoglycaemia in diabetes mellitus and cancer associated changes in uncoupling protein expression levels.

Latent factor analysis to discover pathway-associated putative segmental aneuploidies in human cancers.

Tumor microenvironmental stresses, such as hypoxia and lactic acidosis, play important roles in tumor progression. Although gene signatures reflecting the influence of these stresses are powerful approaches to link expression with phenotypes, they do not fully reflect the complexity of human cancers. Here, we describe the use of latent factor models to further dissect the stress gene signatures in a breast cancer expression dataset. The genes in these latent factors are coordinately expressed in tumors and depict distinct, interacting components of the biological processes. The genes in several latent factors are highly enriched in chromosomal locations. When these factors are analyzed in independent datasets with gene expression and array CGH data, the expression values of these factors are highly correlated with copy number alterations (CNAs) of the corresponding BAC clones in both the cell lines and tumors. Therefore, variation in the expression of these pathway-associated factors is at least partially caused by variation in gene dosage and CNAs among breast cancers. We have also found the expression of two latent factors without any chromosomal enrichment is highly associated with 12q CNA, likely an instance of "trans"-variations in which CNA leads to the variations in gene expression outside of the CNA region. In addition, we have found that factor 26 (1q CNA) is negatively correlated with HIF-1alpha protein and hypoxia pathways in breast tumors and cell lines. This agrees with, and for the first time links, known good prognosis associated with both a low hypoxia signature and the presence of CNA in this region. Taken together, these results suggest the possibility that tumor segmental aneuploidy makes significant contributions to variation in the lactic acidosis/hypoxia gene signatures in human cancers and demonstrate that latent factor analysis is a powerful means to uncover such a linkage.

Inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor leads to selective expression of a human endogenous retrovirus in kidney cancer.

A human endogenous retrovirus type E (HERV-E) was recently found to be selectively expressed in most renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). Importantly, antigens derived from this provirus are immunogenic, stimulating cytotoxic T cells that kill RCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show HERV-E expression is restricted to the clear cell subtype of RCC (ccRCC) characterized by an inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor-suppressor gene with subsequent stabilization of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs)-1α and -2α. HERV-E expression in ccRCC linearly correlated with HIF-2α levels and could be silenced in tumor cells by either transfection of normal VHL or small interfering RNA inhibition of HIF-2α. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we demonstrated that HIF-2α can serve as transcriptional factor for HERV-E by binding with HIF response element (HRE) localized in the proviral 5' long terminal repeat (LTR). Remarkably, the LTR was found to be hypomethylated only in HERV-E-expressing ccRCC while other tumors and normal tissues possessed a hypermethylated LTR preventing proviral expression. Taken altogether, these findings provide the first evidence that inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene can result in aberrant proviral expression in a human tumor and give insights needed for translational research aimed at boosting human immunity against antigenic components of this HERV-E.

Role of hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 in tumour immune escape

Previous studies revealed that, upon exposure to hypoxia, tumour cells acquire resistance to the cytolytic activity of IL-2-activated lymphocytes. The MHC class I chain-related (MIC) molecules – comprised of MICA and MICB – are ligands for the activating NKG2D receptor on Natural Killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells. MIC-NKG2D interactions lead to the activation of NK and CD8+ T cells and the subsequent lysis of the tumour cells. The study also showed that the mechanism of the hypoxia-mediated immune escape involves the shedding of MIC, specifically MICA, from the tumour cell surface. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the shedding of MICA requires the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a transcription factor that regulates cellular adaptations to hypoxia. Exposure to hypoxia (0.5% O2 vs. 20% O2) led to the shedding of MIC from the surface of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and DU-145 human prostate cancer cells as determined by flow cytometry. Knockdown of HIF-1α mRNA using siRNA technology resulted in inhibition of HIF-1α accumulation under hypoxic conditions as determined by Western blot analysis. Parallel study revealed that knockdown of HIF-1α also blocked the shedding of MICA from the surface of MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to hypoxia. These results indicate that HIF-1 is required for the hypoxia-mediated shedding of MICA and, consequently, that HIF-1 may play an important role in tumour immune escape. Ongoing studies aim to determine the HIF-1 target genes involved in the shedding of MICA under hypoxia.

Heightened maternal inflammation is linked to placental oxidative and nitrosative stress associated with fetal growth restriction in the rat

Deficient trophoblast invasion and spiral artery remodeling are associated with pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Using a model in which pregnant Wistar rats are given daily, low-dose, injections of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 – 40 µg/kg) on gestational days (GD) 13.5 – 16.5, our group has shown that abnormal maternal inflammation is causally linked to shallow trophoblast invasion, deficient spiral artery remodeling, and altered utero-placental hemodynamics leading to FGR/PE; these alterations were shown to be mediated by TNF-a. The present research evaluated certain consequences of decreased placental perfusion; this was accomplished by examining placental alterations indicative of decreased placental perfusion. Additionally, the role of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) was determined as a potential therapeutic to prevent the consequences of decreased placental perfusion. Results indicated that dams experiencing heightened maternal inflammation showed significantly greater expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) and nitrotyrosine, both of which are markers of decreased perfusion and oxidative/nitrosative stress. Contrary to expectations, inflammation did not appear to affect nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, as revealed by a lack of change in placental or plasma levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). However, continuous transdermal administration of GTN (25 µg/hr) on GD 12.5 – 16.5 prevented the accumulation of HIF-1a and nitrotyrosine in placentas from LPS-treated rats. These results support the concept that maternal inflammation contributes to placental hypoxia and oxidative/nitrosative stress. Additionally, they indicate that GTN has potential applications in the treatment and/or prevention of pregnancy complications associated with abnormal maternal inflammation.

A family with erythrocytosis establishes a role for prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 in oxygen homeostasis

The number of red blood cells is normally tightly regulated by a classic homeostatic mechanism based on oxygen sensing in the kidney. Decreased oxygen delivery resulting from anemia induces the production of erythropoietin, which increases red cell production and hence oxygen delivery. Investigations of erythropoietin regulation identified the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF is now recognized as being a key regulator of genes that function in a comprehensive range of processes besides erythropoiesis, including energy metabolism and angiogenesis. HIF itself is regulated through the -subunit, which is hydroxylated in the presence of oxygen by a family of three prolyl hydroxylase domain proteins (PHDs)/HIF prolyl hydroxylases/egg-laying-defective nine enzymes. Hydroxylation allows capture by the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor gene product, ubiquitination, and destruction by the proteasome. Here we describe an inherited mutation in a mammalian PHD enzyme. We show that this mutation in PHD2 results in a marked decrease in enzyme activity and is associated with familial erythrocytosis, identifying a previously unrecognized cause of this condition. Our findings indicate that PHD2 is critical for normal regulation of HIF in humans.

Novel exon 12 mutations in the HIF2A gene associated with erythrocytosis.

Erythrocytosis can arise from deregulation of the erythropoietin (Epo) axis resulting from defects in the oxygen-sensing pathway. Epo synthesis is controlled by the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) complex, composed of an a and a ß subunit. There are 2 main a subunits, HIF-1a and HIF-2a. Recently, a HIF-2a Gly537Trp mutation was identified in a family with erythrocytosis. This raises the possibility of HIF2A mutations being associated with other cases of erythrocytosis. We now report a subsequent analysis of HIF2A in a cohort of 75 erythrocytosis patients and identify 4 additional patients with novel heterozygous Met535Val and Gly537Arg mutations. All patients presented at a young age with elevated serum Epo. Mutations at Gly-537 account for 4 of 5 HIF2A mutations associated with erythrocytosis. These findings support the importance of HIF-2a in human Epo regulation and warrant investigation of HIF2A in patients with unexplained erythrocytosis.

A gain-of-function mutation in the HIF2A gene in familial erythrocytosis

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) a, which has three isoforms, is central to the continuous balancing of the supply and demand of oxygen throughout the body. HIF-a is a transcription factor that modulates a wide range of processes, including erythropoiesis, angiogenesis, and cellular metabolism. We describe a family with erythrocytosis and a mutation in the HIF2A gene, which encodes the HIF-2a protein. Our functional studies indicate that this mutation leads to stabilization of the HIF-2a protein and suggest that wild-type HIF-2a regulates erythropoietin production in adults.

MicroRNA-155 Promotes Resolution of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1{alpha} Activity

The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is a key regulator of the transcriptional response to hypoxia. While the mechanism underpinning HIF activation is well understood, little is known about its resolution. Both the protein and the mRNA levels of HIF-1a (but not HIF-2a) were decreased in intestinal epithelial cells exposed to prolonged hypoxia. Coincident with this, microRNA (miRNA) array analysis revealed multiple hypoxia-inducible miRNAs. Among these was miRNA-155 (miR-155), which is predicted to target HIF-1a mRNA. We confirmed the hypoxic upregulation of miR-155 in cultured cells and intestinal tissue from mice exposed to hypoxia. Furthermore, a role for HIF-1a in the induction of miR-155 in hypoxia was suggested by the identification of hypoxia response elements in the miR-155 promoter and confirmed experimentally. Application of miR-155 decreased the HIF-1a mRNA, protein, and transcriptional activity in hypoxia, and neutralization of endogenous miR-155 reversed the resolution of HIF-1a stabilization and activity. Based on these data and a mathematical model of HIF-1a suppression by miR-155, we propose that miR-155 induction contributes to an isoform-specific negative-feedback loop for the resolution of HIF-1a activity in cells exposed to prolonged hypoxia, leading to oscillatory behavior of HIF-1a-dependent transcription.