Induction of Hypoxia-Inducible-Factor 1 by Nitric Oxide Is Mediated via the PI 3K Pathway

Adaptation to hypoxic stress provokes activation of the hypoxia-inducible-factor-1 (HIF-1) which mediates gene expression of, e.g., erythropoietin or vascular endothelial growth factor. Detailed information on signaling pathways that stabilize HIF-1 is missing, but reactive oxygen species degrade the HIF-1α subunit, whereas phosphorylation causes its stabilization. It was believed that hypoxia resembles the only HIF-1 inducer but recent evidence characterized other activators of HIF-1 such as nitric oxide (NO). Herein, we concentrated on NO-evoked HIF-1 induction as a heretofore unappreciated inflammatory response in association with massive NO formation. We demonstrated that S-nitrosoglutathione induces HIF-1α accumulation and concomitant DNA binding. The response was attenuated by the kinase inhibitor genistein and blockers of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase such as Ly 294002 or wortmannin. Whereas mitogen-activated protein kinases were not involved, we noticed phosphorylation/activation of Akt in correlation with HIF-1α stabilization. NO appears to regulate HIF-1α via the PI 3K/Akt pathway under normoxic conditions.