Increased production of vascular endothelial growth factor in peritoneal macrophages of cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a common complication of cirrhotic patients with ascites that usually results in renal failure and death despite the efficacy of the current antibiotic therapy. The pathogenesis of these phenomena is poorly known but it has been related to the production of vasoactive cell mediators locally acting on the splanchnic vasculature. Because previous studies showed that peritoneal macrophages of cirrhotic patients may produce high quantities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a powerful vessel permeabilizing agent, when stimulated by cytokines and bacterial lipopolysaccharide, the present study was aimed to seek whether peritoneal macrophages of SBP patients are induced to produce increased amounts of VEGF. Our results indicate that the production rate and the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of this substance are increased in macrophages of patients with SBP in comparison with those of noninfected cirrhotic patients. This characteristic feature is absent in circulating monocytes of these patients. Moreover, enhanced endothelial cell proliferation induced by conditioned medium of macrophages isolated from the ascites of patients with SBP is abolished by anti-VEGF antibody, and peritoneal tissue of cirrhotic patients expresses both VEGF receptors, Flt-1 and KDR. These results, therefore, are consistent with the concept that locally released macrophage-derived VEGF may result in increased vascular permeability and plasma leakage in the peritoneal vessels of cirrhotic patients with SBP.     

葡萄糖对不同氧浓度下内皮祖细胞表达低氧诱导因子-1α的影响

目的 观察葡萄糖对低氧（1%氧浓度）和常氧（21%氧浓度）状态下内皮祖细胞表达低氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）和血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的影响,探讨低氧在糖尿病周围血管病发生中的可能作用.方法 常规培养健康人外周血来源的内皮祖细胞,加入不同浓度葡萄糖（5、10、33 mmol/L）分为A、B、C 3组,并在常氧和低氧条件下分别进行培养.实时荧光定量逆转录-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）法检测内皮祖细胞表达HIF-1α及VEGF的水平,免疫印迹法检测HIF-1α蛋白表达,ELISA法检测VEGF分泌水平.结果 （1）低氧组表达HIF-1α mRNA（A、B和C组分别为1.25±0.34、1.35±0.26和0.75±0.22）高于常氧组（A、B和C组分别为1.03 ±0.25、1.21±0.28和0.61±0.17）,差异具有统计学意义（A、B和C组t值分别为1.96,2.11,1.89,均P＜0.05）;而在相同氧浓度下,B组的内皮祖细胞表达HIF-1α mRNA高于A组和C组,差异具有统计学意义（低氧组F=23.54,P＜0.01;常氧组F=29.46,P＜0.01）.（2）在相同葡萄糖浓度下,低氧组和常氧组VEGF的蛋白表达差异无统计学意义（t值分别为0.933、1.258和1.001,均P＞0.05）.在低氧浓度下,VEGF的蛋白表达A、B和C组分别为2953±237、2473±205和1768±195,差异具有统计学意义（F=137.43,P=0.000）;在常氧浓度下,A、B和C组VEGF蛋白分别为2868±247、2377±197和1844±203,F=97.96,P=0.000.结论 高糖对低氧条件下的内皮祖细胞具有毒性作用,能减弱其表达HIF-1α和VEGF,可能在糖尿病周围血管病的发生中发挥一定作用.     

Hypoxia modulates adenosine receptors in human endothelial and smooth muscle cells toward an A2B angiogenic phenotype

We previously reported that adenosine A2B receptor activation stimulates angiogenesis. Because hypoxia is a potent stimulus for the release of both adenosine and angiogenic factors, we tested the hypothesis that hypoxia alters the expression of adenosine receptors toward an "angiogenic" phenotype. We used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs) because, under normoxic conditions, adenosine does not release vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). HUVECs expressed a characteristic A2A phenotype (the selective A2A agonist CGS21680 was as potent as the nonselective agonist 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine [NECA] in generating cAMP). Hypoxia (4.6% O2, 3 hours) decreased A2A mRNA from 1.56+/-0.3% to 0.16+/-0.01% of beta-actin expression but increased A2B mRNA from 0.08+/-0.01% to 0.27+/-0.05%. Consistent with changes in receptor expression, CGS21680 failed to increase cAMP in hypoxic HUVECs, whereas NECA remained active (A2B phenotype), and NECA increased VEGF release from 9.5+/-1.0 to 14.2+/-1.2 pg/mL (P<0.05), indicating that increased A2B receptors were functionally coupled to upregulation of VEGF. Hypoxia had similar effects on BSMCs, increasing A2B mRNA by 2.4+/-0.3-fold, from 0.42+/-0.04% to 1.00+/-0.13% of beta-actin. Whereas NECA had no effect on VEGF release in normoxic BSMCs, it increased VEGF release in hypoxic BSMCs, from 74.6+/-9.6 to 188.3+/-16.7 pg/mL (P<0.01), and a selective A2B antagonist, CVT-6694, inhibited this increase. A2B receptors activated a VEGF reporter made unresponsive to hypoxia by mutating its hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) binding element, indicating a mechanism independent of HIF-1. In conclusion, hypoxia modulates the expression of adenosine receptors in human endothelial and smooth muscle cells toward an A2B"angiogenic" phenotype.     

Effects of hypoxia on the expression of proangiogenic factors in differentiated 3T3-F442A adipocytes

OBJECTIVE: Adipocyte hypertrophy combined with hyperplasia, observed during the growth of adipose tissue in obesity, might promote the occurrence of hypoxic areas within the tissue. The aim of the present study is to assess the influence of hypoxia on the expression and secretion of adipocyte-derived proangiogenic factors. DESIGN AND METHODS: Differentiated 3T3-F442A adipocytes were submitted either to ambient hypoxia (5% O(2)) or to chemically induced hypoxia by treatments with cobalt chloride or desferrioxamine. The activities of the matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and -9) were determined by gelatin zymography. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), leptin, MMP-2 and -9 were studied by the use of Western blotting and RT-PCR analyses. RESULTS: Low oxygen pressure exposure and hypoxia mimics treatments were associated with increased glucose consumption and release of lactate in differentiated 3T3-F442A adipocytes. They also led to an upregulation of the expression of leptin, VEGF and MMPs. An enhanced accumulation of HIF-1alpha protein was observed in the hypoxic adipocyte nuclei. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia, in adipocytes, markedly enhances the expression of leptin, VEGF and MMPs and stimulates the HIF-1 pathway. The present data demonstrate that hypoxic adipocytes express more proangiogenic factors and suggest that hypoxia, if occurring in adipose tissue, might be a modulator of the angiogenic process.     

Testosterone-stimulated growth of the rat prostate may be driven by tissue hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha

Testosterone-stimulated growth of the ventral prostate (VP) in castrated rats is preceded by angiogenesis, but the mechanisms coordinating vascular and tissue growth are unknown. Adult rats were castrated and some treated with testosterone. Tissue hypoxia was studied morphologically using the hypoxia marker pimonidazole (Hypoxyprobe), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and carbonicanhydrase 9 (CA-9) levels by western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR. In the intact untreated prostate, most glands were unstained by the hypoxia marker but already 1 day after castration most epithelial cells in the VP were stained. Seven days after castration prostate glands were apparently normoxic again, and HIF-1alpha, VEGF, and CA-9 were decreased. Treatment of 7-day castrated rats with testosterone resulted in increased epithelial hypoxyprobe staining and increased HIF-1alpha, VEGF, and CA-9 levels. The transient increase in tissue hypoxia after testosterone treatment is probably caused by a temporary mismatch between oxygen consumption and supply. Treatment of prostate epithelial cells in vitro under normoxic conditions also increased HIF-1alpha, and this could be blocked if epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling was blocked with gefitinib. In vivo gefitinib could, however, not block the testosterone induced increase in HIF-1alpha. Testosterone may thus induce HIF-1alpha and its downstream angiogenesis promoting genes by at least two mechanisms, hypoxia and EGFR signaling. Transient epithelial cell hypoxia could by rapidly increasing HIF-1alpha and VEGF be an essential coordinator of testosterone-stimulated vascular and glandular growth.     

缺氧诱导因子-1α和血管内皮生长因子与非小细胞肺癌中临床病理特征和预后关系的研究

目的探讨缺氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)和血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)在非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)术后双重表达的临床和预后意义,并研究HIF-1α抑制剂LW6和贝伐单抗(Avastin)对非小细胞肺癌细胞HIF-1α和VEGF表达的影响,初步探索HIF-1α与VEGF潜在的调控机制。方法采用免疫组化方法测定非小细胞肺癌组织中HIF-1α和VEGF的表达情况。用HIF-1α的抑制剂LW6和VEGF的抑制剂Avastin分别处理培养的非小细胞肺癌细胞系,采用western blotting检测HIF-1α和VEGF的表达。结合HIF-1α和VEGF的免疫组化结果和患者的临床病理资料进行统计分析。结果HIF-1α和VEGF双阳性表达与pT(P<0.05)、pN(P<0.01)和pTNM分期(P<0.01)及5年生存率(P<0.01)显著相关。在非小细胞肺癌细胞系中,用LW6处理缺氧细胞可以显著抑制HIF-1α的表达(P<0.01);用Avastin处理缺氧细胞对HIF-1α的表达无显著影响(P>0.05)。在缺氧细胞中,采用LW6或Avastin处理细胞均可抑制VEGF的表达。结论HIF-1α和VEGF双重表达能使我们更准确地预测非小细胞肺癌患者的预后,进一步验证在非小细胞肺癌中,HIF-1α是VEGF重要的上游调控者,参与VEGF表达调控。     

乙型肝炎病毒x蛋白与缺氧诱导因子-1α在肝癌中的表达及可能的调节机制

目的检测乙型肝炎病毒x蛋白(HBx)与缺氧诱导因子-1(HIF-1)α在肝癌中的表达,探讨正常氧和缺氧状态下,HBx对HIF-1α可能的调节机制。方法采用免疫组织化学染色方法检测78份原发性HCC组织标本中HBx和HIF-1α的表达,用SPSS10.0进行相关性分析;免疫荧光和Western blot检测常氧和缺氧条件下,HepG2及稳定转染HBx基因的HepG2细胞(HepG2- X)中HIF-1α的表达;流式细胞术检测常氧和缺氧状态下HepG2及HepG2-X细胞活性氧(ROS)的含量。结果78份肝癌组织标本中,HBx和HIF-1α免疫组织化学染色阳性率分别为74.36%(58/78)和69.23%(54/78),两者表达呈正相关(r=0.636,P<0.05)。免疫荧光检测表明:常氧状态下, HepG2细胞中HIF-1α的表达阴性而HepG2-X中表达阳性,主要位于细胞浆,部分位于细胞核,而缺氧状态下,HepG2和HepG2-X细胞的细胞质和细胞核均有表达。Western blot检测显示:常氧状态下,HepG2细胞中HIF-α几乎无表达,而HepG2-X明显表达。两者在缺氧1 h开始均表达,8 h达到高峰,16 h后逐渐下降,测量两者缺氧8 h时的表达,发现HepG2-X中HIF-α的表达增高。流式细胞术检测细胞ROS含量显示:在常氧状态下,HepG2-X细胞中ROS含量明显高于HepG2细胞。在缺氧状态下,二者ROS含量无显著差异,但均明显高于常氧状态下HepG2细胞的ROS含量。结论HBx及HIF-1α在人肝细胞肝癌组织中广泛表达,并显著正相关;常氧或缺氧状态下,HBx均可上调HIF-1α在HepG2细胞中表达,并且HBx对HIF-1α的这种调节作用可能通过ROS通路实现。     

Hypoxia-induced increase in the production of extracellular matrix proteins in systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: Insufficient angiogenesis with tissue ischemia and accumulation of extracellular matrix are hallmarks of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Based on the severely decreased oxygen levels in the skin of patients with SSc, we aimed to investigate the role of hypoxia in the pathogenesis of SSc. METHODS: Subtractive hybridization was used to compare gene expression in dermal fibroblasts under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Dermal fibroblasts were further characterized by exposure to different concentrations of oxygen and for different time periods as well as by interference with hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha). The systemic normobaric hypoxia model in mice was used for in vivo analyses. RESULTS: Several extracellular matrix proteins and genes involved in extracellular matrix turnover, such as thrombospondin 1, proalpha2(I) collagen, fibronectin 1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3, and transforming growth factor beta-induced protein, were induced by hypoxia in SSc and healthy dermal fibroblasts. The induction of these genes was time- and dose-dependent. Experiments with HIF-1alpha-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts, deferoxamine/cobalt ions as chemical stabilizers of HIF-1alpha, and HIF-1alpha small interfering RNA consistently showed that extracellular matrix genes are induced in dermal fibroblasts by HIF-1alpha-dependent, as well as HIF-1alpha-independent, mechanisms. Using the systemic normobaric hypoxia mouse model, we demonstrated that dermal hypoxia leads to the induction of the identified extracellular matrix genes in vivo after both short exposure and prolonged exposure to hypoxia. CONCLUSION: These data show that hypoxia contributes directly to the progression of fibrosis in patients with SSc by increasing the release of major extracellular matrix proteins. Targeting of hypoxia pathways might therefore be of therapeutic value in patients with SSc.     

低氧对L02细胞脂肪代谢的影响及其机制

目的 研究低氧对L02细胞脂质代谢的影响及其可能的机制. 方法 以正常人肝细胞株L02细胞为研究靶细胞,对照组和低氧处理组细胞分别在21％和1％氧浓度下培养.油红O染色、甘油三酯(TG)测定检测肝细胞脂肪变程度;RT-PCR法检测细胞内低氧诱导因子(HIF) 2α、固醇调节元件结合蛋白(SREBP) -lc mRNA的表达情况; Western blot法检测HIF-2α亚基、脂肪分化相关蛋白(ADRP)、脂肪酸合成酶(FAS)蛋白的表达量.各组甘油三酯测定值行2×3的析因设计方差分析;两样本均数间比较采用t检验;其他多个样本均数的比较采用单因素方差分析与NewmanKeulS法检验.结果 与对照组比较,低氧组L02细胞内出现脂质沉积,TG含量增多,且随低氧处理时间延长逐渐增多(F=115.04,P＜0.01).低氧12、24、48 h组SREBP-1c mRNA表达水平校对照组下调(0.236±0.043、0.287±0.044、0.342±0.049与0.503±0.037,F=28.37,P＜0.01),FAS蛋白表达水平较对照组下调(0.562±0.054、0.674±0.062、0.682±0.057与0.857±0.069,F=16.08,P＜0.0l).对照组未检测到HIF-2α表达,而低氧处理3h后HIF-2 α蛋白表达逐渐增加,6h后达高峰,12、24h又逐渐降低,各时间点分别为0.609±0.031、0.973±0.067、0.792±0.056、0.437±0.038(F=85.30,P＜0.01);低氧12、24、48h各组ADRP蛋白相对含量分别为0.319±0.043、0.732±0.056、0.873±0.066,均明显高于对照组0.211±0.019(P值均＜0.05),且随低氧时间延长,表达量逐渐增多(F=167.49,P＜0.01).结论 低氧通过HIF-2 α-ADRP途径诱导肝细胞脂肪沉积.