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Mylonis I, Chachami G, Simos G. Specific Inhibition of HIF Activity: Can Peptides Lead the Way? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13030410. [PMID: 33499237 PMCID: PMC7865418 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer cells in solid tumors often experience lack of oxygen (hypoxia), which they overcome with the help of hypoxia inducible transcription factors (HIFs). When HIFs are activated, they stimulate the expression of many genes and cause the production of proteins that help cancer cells grow and migrate even in the presence of very little oxygen. Many experiments have shown that agents that block the activity of HIFs (HIF inhibitors) can prevent growth of cancer cells under hypoxia and, subsequently, hinder formation of malignant tumors or metastases. Most small chemical HIF inhibitors lack the selectivity required for development of safe anticancer drugs. On the other hand, peptides derived from HIFs themselves can be very selective HIF inhibitors by disrupting specific associations of HIFs with cellular components that are essential for HIF activation. This review discusses the nature of available peptide HIF inhibitors and their prospects as effective pharmaceuticals against cancer. Abstract Reduced oxygen availability (hypoxia) is a characteristic of many disorders including cancer. Central components of the systemic and cellular response to hypoxia are the Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIFs), a small family of heterodimeric transcription factors that directly or indirectly regulate the expression of hundreds of genes, the products of which mediate adaptive changes in processes that include metabolism, erythropoiesis, and angiogenesis. The overexpression of HIFs has been linked to the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. Moreover, evidence from cellular and animal models have convincingly shown that targeting HIFs represents a valid approach to treat hypoxia-related disorders. However, targeting transcription factors with small molecules is a very demanding task and development of HIF inhibitors with specificity and therapeutic potential has largely remained an unattainable challenge. Another promising approach to inhibit HIFs is to use peptides modelled after HIF subunit domains known to be involved in protein–protein interactions that are critical for HIF function. Introduction of these peptides into cells can inhibit, through competition, the activity of endogenous HIFs in a sequence and, therefore also isoform, specific manner. This review summarizes the involvement of HIFs in cancer and the approaches for targeting them, with a special focus on the development of peptide HIF inhibitors and their prospects as highly-specific pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Mylonis
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Georgia Chachami
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
| | - George Simos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3T2, Canada
- Correspondence: (I.M.); (G.S.)
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Wang J, Zhao Y, Wang C, Zhu Q, Du Z, Hu A, Yang Y. Organelle-Specific Nitric Oxide Detection in Living Cells via HaloTag Protein Labeling. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123986. [PMID: 25923693 PMCID: PMC4414533 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a membrane-permeable signaling molecule that is constantly produced, transferred, and consumed in vivo. NO participates and plays important roles in multiple biological processes. However, spatiotemporal imaging of NO in living cells is challenging. To fill the gap in currently used techniques, we exploited the versatility of HaloTag technology and synthesized a novel organelle-targetable fluorescent probe called HTDAF-2DA. We demonstrate the utility of the probe by monitoring subcellular NO dynamics. The developed strategy enables precise determination of local NO function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Wang
- Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Yuzheng Zhao
- Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Chao Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Zengmin Du
- Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Aiguo Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (AH); (YY)
| | - Yi Yang
- Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Mei Long Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (AH); (YY)
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Choi SH, Chung AR, Kang W, Park JY, Lee MS, Hwang SW, Kim DY, Kim SU, Ahn SH, Kim S, Han KH. Silencing of hypoxia-inducible factor-1β induces anti-tumor effects in hepatoma cell lines under tumor hypoxia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103304. [PMID: 25068796 PMCID: PMC4113399 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dimerization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 beta (HIF-1β) [aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT)] with HIF-1α is involved in various aspects of cancer biology, including proliferation and survival under hypoxic conditions. We investigated the in vitro mechanism by which silencing of HIF-1β leads to the suppression of tumor cell growth and cellular functions. Various hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines (Huh-7, Hep3B, and HepG2) were transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) against HIF-1β (siHIF-1β) and cultured under hypoxic conditions (1% O2 for 24 h). The expression levels of HIF-1β, HIF-1α, and growth factors were examined by immunoblotting. Tumor growth was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and tumor activity was measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, tumor cell invasion, and migration assays. Under hypoxic conditions, silencing of HIF-1β expression suppressed tumor cell growth and regulated the expression of tumor growth-related factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor. Suppression of tumor cell invasion and migration was also demonstrated in HIF-1β-silenced HCC cell lines. Silencing of HIF-1β expression may induce anti-tumor effects under hypoxic conditions in HCC cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Hoon Choi
- Brain Korea 21 plus project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ae Ri Chung
- Brain Korea 21 plus project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Wonseok Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jun Yong Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi Sol Lee
- Department of Premed, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Shin Won Hwang
- Department of Premed, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Do Young Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung Up Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Hoon Ahn
- Brain Korea 21 plus project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Brain Korea 21 plus project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kwang-Hyub Han
- Brain Korea 21 plus project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Yonsei Liver Cancer Special Clinic, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- Liver Cirrhosis Clinical Research Center, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea
- * E-mail:
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Xie J, Huang X, Park MS, Pham HM, Chan WK. Differential suppression of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-dependent function by an aryl hydrocarbon receptor PAS-A-derived inhibitory molecule. Biochem Pharmacol 2014; 88:253-65. [PMID: 24486526 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2014.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) heterodimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (Arnt) for transcriptional regulation. We generated three N-terminal deletion constructs of the human AhR of 12-24 kDa in size--namely D1, D2, and D3--to suppress the Arnt function. We observed that all three deletions interact with the human Arnt with similar affinities. D2, which contains part of the AhR PAS-A domain and interacts with the PAS-A domain of Arnt, inhibits the formation of the AhR gel shift complex. D2 suppresses the 3-methylcholanthrene-induced, dioxin response element (DRE)-driven luciferase activity in Hep3B cells and exogenous Arnt reverses this D2 suppression. D2 suppresses the induction of CYP1A1 at both the message and protein levels in Hep3B cells; however, the CYP1B1 induction is not affected. D2 suppresses the recruitment of Arnt to the cyp1a1 promoter but not to the cyp1b1 promoter, partly because the AhR/Arnt heterodimer binds better to the cyp1b1 DRE than to the cyp1a1 DRE. Interestingly, D2 has no effect on the cobalt chloride-induced, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)-dependent expression of vegf, aldolase c, and ldh-a messages. Our data reveal that the flanking sequences of the DRE contribute to the binding affinity of the AhR/Arnt heterodimer to its endogenous enhancers and the function of AhR and HIF-1 can be differentially suppressed by the D2 inhibitory molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghang Xie
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Qianfoshan Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Miki S Park
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
| | - Hang M Pham
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
| | - William K Chan
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA.
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Lyberopoulou A, Mylonis I, Papachristos G, Sagris D, Kalousi A, Befani C, Liakos P, Simos G, Georgatsou E. MgcRacGAP, a cytoskeleton regulator, inhibits HIF-1 transcriptional activity by blocking its dimerization. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2013; 1833:1378-87. [PMID: 23458834 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2013.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Revised: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a dimeric transcription factor of the bHLH-PAS family, is comprised of HIF-1α, which is inducible by hypoxia and ARNT or HIF-1β, which is constitutively expressed. HIF-1 is involved in cellular homeostasis under hypoxia, in development and in several diseases affected by oxygen availability, particularly cancer. Since its expression is positively correlated with poor outcome prognosis for cancer patients, HIF-1 is a target for pharmaceutical therapy. We have previously shown that male germ cell Rac GTPase activating protein (MgcRacGAP), a regulator of Rho proteins which are principally involved in cytoskeletal organization, binds to HIF-1α and inhibits its transcriptional activity. In this work, we have explored the mechanism of the MgcRacGAP-mediated HIF-1 inactivation. We show that the Myo domain of MgcRacGAP, which is both necessary and sufficient for HIF-1 repression, binds to the PAS-B domain of HIF-1α. Furthermore MgcRacGAP competes with ARNT for binding to the HIF-1α PAS-B domain, as shown by in vitro binding pull down assays. In mammalian cells, ARNT overexpression can overcome the MgcRacGAP-mediated inhibition and MgcRacGAP binding to HIF-1α in vivo inhibits its dimerization with ARNT. We additionally present results indicating that MgcRacGAP binding to HIF-1α is specific, since it does not affect the transcriptional activity of HIF-2, a close evolutionary relative of HIF-1 also involved in hypoxia regulation and cancer. Our results reveal a new mechanism for HIF-1 transcriptional activity regulation, suggest a novel hypoxia-cytoskeleton link and provide new tools for selective HIF-1 inhibition.
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Wang Y, Thompson JD, Chan WK. A cell-penetrating peptide suppresses the hypoxia inducible factor-1 function by binding to the helix-loop-helix domain of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator. Chem Biol Interact 2013; 203:401-11. [PMID: 23454269 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2013.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2012] [Revised: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The heterodimeric hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) complex is composed of the hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT). Activation of the HIF-1 function is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. We previously showed that transfection of a plasmid containing an ARNT-interacting peptide (Ainp1) cDNA suppresses the HIF-1 signaling in Hep3B cells. Here we generated TAT fusion of the Ainp1 peptide (6His-TAT-Ainp1) to determine whether and how the Ainp1 peptide suppresses the HIF-1 function. The bacterially expressed 6His-TAT-Ainp1 was purified under denatured condition and then refolded by limited dialysis. The refolded 6His-TAT-Ainp1 interacts with the helix-loop-helix (HLH) domain of ARNT in a similar fashion as the native 6His-Ainp1. 6His-TAT-Ainp1 colocalizes with ARNT in the nucleus of HeLa and Hep3B cells after protein transduction. The transduced protein reaches the maximum intracellular levels within 2 h while remains detectable up to 96 h in HeLa cells. At 2 μM concentration, 6His-TAT-Ainp1 is not cytotoxic in HeLa cells but suppresses the cobalt chloride-activated, hypoxia responsive enhancer-driven luciferase expression in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, it decreases the cobalt chloride-dependent induction of the HIF-1 target genes at both the message (vascular endothelial growth factor and aldolase C) and protein (carbonic anhydrase IX and glucose transporter 1) levels. The protein levels of HIF-1α and ARNT are not altered in the presence of 6His-TAT-Ainp1. In summary, we provided evidence to support that the Ainp1 peptide directly suppresses the HIF-1 function by interacting with the ARNT HLH domain, and in turn interfering with the heterodimerization of HIF-1α and ARNT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
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