Increased vascularization (angiogenesis) is a required adaptation for sustained tumor growth, and the primary mediator of de novo blood vessel formation is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The central transcriptional activator of VEGF is hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a heterodimeric transcription factor composed of an inducible HIF-1alpha subunit and a constitutively expressed HIF-1beta subunit. In addition to HIF-1, it has recently been reported that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is required for VEGF production and angiogenesis. Although it is known that Stat3 is an important mediator of many of the oncogenic signaling pathways that regulate HIF-1alpha, it was not known if Stat3 regulates HIF-1alpha. To answer this important question, the effect of blocking Stat3 signaling on both HIF-1alpha and VEGF expression was examined.
Treatment of cells with IL-6, a potent activator of Stat3, resulted in HIF-1alpha and VEGF induction during normoxia. By blocking protein synthesis with cycloheximide, it was determined that IL-6 induction of HIF-1alpha resulted from increased translation. When Stat3 was silenced with siRNA, both basal level expression and IL-6 induction of HIF-1alpha and VEGF were significantly reduced. Furthermore, it is likely that Stat3 is required for HIF-1alpha induction by a variety of growth signals, as both HIF-1alpha and VEGF expression resulting from EGF and heregulin were abolished when Stat3 signaling was blocked. Because we had observed that Stat3 was required for induction of HIF-1alpha by growth signals, we wanted to determine if Stat3 was also required for HIF-1a induction by hypoxia. When Stat3 was silenced and cells exposed to hypoxia, HIF-1a expression was again abolished. Furthermore, the hypoxic induction of VEGF and MMP-2 was also prevented.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USF/oai:scholarcommons.usf.edu:etd-3791 |
| Date | 01 June 2005 |
| Creators | Briggs, Jon J |
| Publisher | Scholar Commons |
| Source Sets | University of South Flordia |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | default |
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