ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α ) in isolated rat heart at different time points after myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation. MethodsThe isolated langendorff perfused rat heart model was established. Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: a sham group, hypoxia/reoxygenation groups including a H/R 0.5 h group, a 1 h group and a 2 h group. The heart rate(HR), the 1eft ventricular development pressure(LVDP), maximal rates of increase/decrease of the left ventricular pressure(±dp/dtmax) were continuously recorded. The concentrations of TNF-α and creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB) in myocardium, mRNA expression of TNF-α in myocardium were tested. Ultra structure of myocardium was observed under electron microscope. ResultsThe levels of LVDP, ±dp/dtmax, and HR of hypoxia/reoxygenation group were significantly lower than those in the sham group(P<0.05).The levels of TNF-α and CK-MB and the expressions of TNF-α at mRNA level in the hypoxia/reoxygenation group were higher than those in the sham group(P<0.05).There were significant differences in the above parameters among the H/R 0.5 h group, the 1 h group, the 2 h group(P<0.05).The concentrations of TNF-α and CK-MB, the mRNA expression of TNF-α were higher in the I/R 2 h group than those in the other two groups. ConclusionThe high expression of TNF-α in myocardium after myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation in rats is related to the degree of myocardium damage and may lead to myocardial injury.
ObjectiveTo compare the osteogenic effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transfected by adenovirus-bone morphogenetic protein 2-internal ribosome entry site-hypoxia inducible factor 1αmu (Ad-BMP-2-IRES-HIF-1αmu) and by Ad-cytomegalovirus (CMV)-BMP-2-IRES-human renilla reniformis green fluorescent protein 1 (hrGFP-1) single gene so as to optimize the source of osteoblasts. MethodsBMSCs were separated and cultured from 1-month-old New Zealand white rabbit. The BMSCs at passage 3 were transfected by virus. The experiment was divided into 4 groups (groups A, B, C, and D) according to different virus: BMSCs were transfected by Ad-BMP-2-IRES-HIF-1αmu in group A, by Ad-CMV-BMP-2-IRES-hrGFP-1 in group B, by Ad-CMV-IRES-hrGFP-1 in group C, and BMSCs were not transfected in group D. The optimum multiplicity of infection (MOI) (50, 100, 150, and 200) was calculated and then the cells were transfected by the optimum MOI, respectively. The expression of BMP-2 gene was detected by immunohistochemistry staining after transfected, the expressions of BMP-2 protein and HIF-1α protein were detected by Western blot method. The osteogenic differentiation potential was detected by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and Alizarin red staining. ResultsThe optimum MOI of groups A, B, and C was 200, 150, and 100, respectively. The expression of BMP-2 was positive in groups A and B, and was negative in groups C and D by immunohistochemistry staining; the number of positive cells in group A was more than that in group B (P ﹤ 0.05). The expression of BMP-2 protein in groups A and B was significantly higher than that in groups C and D (P ﹤ 0.05), group A was higher than group B (P ﹤ 0.05). The expression of HIF-1α protein in group A was significantly higher than those in the other 3 groups (P ﹤ 0.05), no significant difference was found among the other 3 groups (P ﹥ 0.05). ALP activity in groups A and B was significantly higher than that in groups C and D (P ﹤ 0.05), group A was higher than group B (P ﹤ 0.05). Calcium nodules could be seen in groups A and B, but not in groups C and D; the number of calcium nodules in group A was higher than that in group B (P ﹤ 0.05). ConclusionThe expression of BMP-2 and osteogenic effect of BMSCs transfected by Ad-BMP-2-IRES-HIF-1αmu (double genes in single carrier) are higher than those of BMSCs transfected by Ad-CMV-BMP-2-IRES-hrGFP-1 (one gene in single carrier).
ObjectiveTo observe the expression and mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and p53 protein at the altitude of 5000 meter plateau hypoxia environment in rats, as well as the effect of Astragalus injection. MethodsSixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Astragalus injection intervention group and normal saline control group, 30 rats in each group. Astragalus injection group rats were intraperitoneal injected of Astragalus injection (15 ml/kg) before 30 minutes into the plateau environment simulation cabin, normal saline group rats were intraperitoneal injected with the same volume of saline. 30 minutes after injection, rats in each group were reared in the plateau experiment cabin which simulated altitude of 5000 m (oxygen partial pressure 11.3 kPa) for 2, 6, 8, 12, 24 hours, each time period of 6 rats. When get out, the rats were executed immediately and eyes were harvested. Retinal sections were studied by hematoxylin eosin stain, and immunohistochemical method for HIF-1α and p53 expression. ResultsFor control rats, after 2 hours in the cabin, there was edema in retinal layers. HIF-1α and p53 were expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of retinal layers. When the periods in cabin extended, there was atrophy of retinal nerve fiber layer, swelling and degeneration of ganglion cells. The expression of HIF-1α and p53 was increased. Compared with the control group, the intervention group rat had similar but less severe retinal changes, and the expression of HIF-1α and p53 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). ConclusionAstragalus injection can reduce pathological retinal damage in rats at high altitude environment, and its mechanism may be associated with reduced HIF-1α, p53 expression.
ObjectiveTo investigate whether desferrioxamine (DFO) can enhance the homing of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and improve neovascularization in random flaps of rats.MethodsBMSCs and fibroblasts (FB) of luciferase transgenic Lewis rats were isolated and cultured. Forty 4-week-old Lewis male rats were used to form a 10 cm×3 cm rectangular flap on their back. The experimental animals were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 rats in each group: in group A, 200 μL PBS were injected through retrobulbar venous plexus; in group B, 200 μL FB with a concentration of 1×106 cells/mL were injected; in group C, 200 μL BMSCs with a concentration of 1×106 cells/mL were injected; in group D, cells transplantation was the same as that in group C, after cells transplantation, DFO [100 mg/(kg·d)] were injected intraperitoneally for 7 days. On the 7th day after operation, the survival rate of flaps in each group was observed and calculated; the blood perfusion was observed by laser speckle imaging. Bioluminescence imaging was used to detect the distribution of transplanted cells in rats at 30 minutes and 1, 4, 7, and 14 days after operation. Immunofluorescence staining was performed at 7 days after operation to observe CD31 staining and count capillary density under 200-fold visual field and to detect the expressions of stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and Ki67. Transplanted BMSCs were labeled with luciferase antibody and observed by immunofluorescence staining whether they participated in the repair of injured tissues.ResultsThe necrosis boundary of ischemic flaps in each group was clear at 7 days after operation. The survival rate of flaps in groups C and D was significantly higher than that in groups A and B, and in group D than in group C (P<0.05). Laser speckle imaging showed that the blood perfusion units of flaps in groups C and D was significantly higher than that in groups A and B, and in group D than in group C (P<0.05). Bioluminescence imaging showed that BMSCs gradually migrated to the ischemia and hypoxia area and eventually distributed to the ischemic tissues. The photon signal of group D was significantly stronger than that of other groups at 14 days after operation (P<0.05). CD31 immunofluorescence staining showed that capillary density in groups C and D was significantly higher than that in groups A and B, and in group D than in group C (P<0.05). The expressions of SDF-1, EGF, FGF, and Ki67 in groups C and D were significantly stronger than those in groups A and B, and in group D than in group C. Luciferase-labeled BMSCs were expressed in the elastic layer of arteries, capillaries, and hair follicles at 7 days after transplantation.ConclusionDFO can enhance the migration and homing of BMSCs to the hypoxic area of random flap, accelerate the differentiation of BMSCs in ischemic tissue, and improve the neovascularization of ischemic tissue.
Objective To construct the responsive plasmid PTRE-HIF-1αof Tet-on gene expression system and examine its expression. Methods RT-nested PCR was performed on the total RNA extracted from hypoxia HepG2 cells to obtain the cDNA of HIF-1α, which was inserted into the responsive plasmid PTRE2hyg. DNA sequencing was performed after the recombinant of responsive plasmid PTRE-HIF-1α was identified by endonuclease digestion. This recombinant vector was transfected into HepG2Tet-on cells by means of liposome and its expression was examined by RT-PCR and Western blot under the control of deoxycycline. Results The amplified products were confirmed as the cDNA of HIF-1α by DNA sequencing. The responsive plasmid PTRE-HIF-1α verified by edonuclease digestion, was capable of expression in HepG2Tet-on cells and could be controlled by deoxycycline. Conclusion The responsive plasmid PTRE-HIF-1α of Tet-on expression system is constructed successfully, and it can express under the regulation of deoxycycline in the HepG2Tet-on cells.
ObjectiveTo observe and investigate the effect of HIF-2α in the process of neovascularization of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).MethodsRetrospective clinical study. From July 2014 to July 2015, 60 eyes of 57 PDR patients diagnosed in Ophthalmology Department of Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were included in the study. Twenty-eight eyes of 27 patients received intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab (0.05 ml) at 2-7 days before surgery (ranibizumab group) and other 32 eyes of 30 patients did not (group without ranibizumab). Eighteen eyes of 18 patients with epiretinal membranes were included as controls. Pathological specimens of PDR fibrovascular membrane and premacular membrane were obtained during vitrectomy. The immunohistochemical staining and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were used to detecting the expression of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF. Kruskal-wallis test was used to compare the expression differences of correlation factors between groups. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the two variables.ResultsThe immunohistochemical staining revealed that there were positive expression of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF in all PDR membranes, regardless of the injection of the ranibizumab. The levels of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF protein in the group without ranibizumab were higher than those of the ranibizumab group (t=4.36, 6.01, 4.82; P=0.000, 0.008, 0.016). RT-PCR showed that the differences of the mRNA expression of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF were all statistically significant among the PDR patients and controls (H=18.81,19.60, 20.50; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000). The expression of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF in the PDR membranes was higher than that of epiretinal membranes from non-diabetic patients. In the PDR patients,the expression of HIF-2α, Dll4 and VEGF of the group without ranibizumab was higher than that of the ranibizumab group. The spearman correlation analysis showed that the expression of mRNA between HIF-2α and Dll4, HIF-2α and VEGF were both significantly correlated (r=0.95, 0.87; P＜0.05).ConclusionsThe expression of HIF-2α in the PDR membranes was higher than that of the controls. It is positively correlated with the expression of the DLL4 and VEGF.
Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and the neuron apoptosis during a hypoxia ischemia brain damage and explore the role of HIF1α in regulating the neuron apoptosis and repairing the brain damaged by hypoxia and ischemia. Methods Forty SD rats aged 10 days were randomly divided into the experiment group and the control group, with 20 rats in each group. In the experimental group, the rats were anesthetized with ethylether. The right common carotid artery was exposed and ligated. Then, they were exposed to hypoxia ina normobaric chamber filled with 8% oxygen and 92% nitrogen for 2.5 hours. In the control group, the right common carotid artery was exposed but was not ligated or exposed to hypoxia. The brain tissues were harvested from the rats in the both groups at 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the hypoxia and ischemia, and fromthe rats in the control group at the same time points. The HIF-1α protein expression and the cleaved caspase 3 (CC3) protein expression were detected with the immunohistochemistry method. The apoptosis cells were detected with the TUNEL staining method. Results In the experimental group, the HIF-1α expression was significantly increased at 4 hours after operation, at the peak level at 8 hours, and began to decrease at 24 hours. The CC3 protein was expressed at 4 hours after operation, and was slightly expressed at 8 hours, but was significantly increased at 24 hours; the higher levels were maintained at 48 and 72 hours. However, in the control group, both the expression levels of HIF-1α and the CC3 protein were extremely low. So, the expression levels of HIF-1α andthe CC3 protein were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P＜0.01). The TUNEL staining showed that in the experimentalgroup the positive cells were significantly increased after the hypoxia and ischemia, with a peak level at 72 hours after the hypoxia and ischemia; however, in the control group there were few positive cells.TUNEL positive cells in the experimental group were significantly more than that in the control group(P＜0.01).ConclusionThe expression tendency of HIF-1α is completely different from that of CC3.HIF-1α may have a protective role in regulating the neuron apoptosis in the neonatal hypoxia-ischemia brain damage and may promote the repairing and rebuilding process in the brain that was damaged by hypoxia and ischemia.
Objective Isoflurane has an acute preconditioning effectiveness against ischemia in kidney, but this beneficial effectiveness can only last for 2-3 hours. To investigate whether isoflurane produces delayed preconditioningagainst renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and whether this process is mediated by hypoxia inducible factor 1α(HIF- 1α). Methods A total of 52 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n=13 in each group): the controlgroup (group A), PBS/isoflurane treated group (group B), scrambled small interference RNA (siRNA)/isoflurane treated group (group C), and HIF-1α siRNA/isoflurane treated group (group D). In groups C and D, 1 mL RNase-free PBS containing 50 μg scrambled siRNA or HIF-1α siRNA was administered via tail vein 24 hours before gas exposure, respectively. Equivalent RNasefree PBS was given in groups A and B. Then the mice in groups B, C, and D were exposed to 1.5% isoflurne and 25%O2 for 2 hours; while the mice in group A received 25%O2 for 2 hours. After 24 hours, 5 mice in each group were sacrificed to assesse the expressions of HIF-1α and erythropoietin (EPO) in renal cortex by Western blot. Renal I/R injury was induced with bilateral renal pedicle occlusion for 25 minutes followed by 24 hours reperfusion on the other 8 mice. At the end of reperfusion, the serum creatinine (SCr), the blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and the histological grading were measured. Results The expressions of HIF-1α and EPO in groups B and C were significantly higher than those in group A (P lt; 0.01). The concentrations of SCr and BUN in groups B and C were significantly lower than those in group A, as well as the scores of tubules (P lt; 0.01), and the injury of kidney was amel iorated noticeably in groups B and C. The expressions of HIF-1α and the concentrations of SCr and BUN in group D were significantly lower than those in group A (P lt; 0.01). Compared with groups B and C, the expression of HIF- 1α and EPO in group D decreased markedly (P lt; 0.01), the concentrations of SCr and BUN were increased obviously, as well asthe scores of tubules (P lt; 0.01), and the renal injury was aggratived significantly. Conclusion Isoflurane produces delayed preconditioning against renal I/R injury, and this beneficial effectiveness may be mediated by HIF-1α.
The intervention therapy targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has become a specific and effective method for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, some patients did not respond or responded poorly to anti-VEGF therapy, and its effects of eliminating edema and improving vision appear to be unstable in the same patient. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), an important upstream transcriptional regulator of VEGF, is an oxygen concentration-sensitive protein expressed in tissues under hypoxia. It can simultaneously target many downstream target genes except VEGF, such as placental growth factor and angiopoietin-like protein 4, to cause blood-retinal barrier damage and neovascularization, and thus participate in various pathological changes of DR to promote the occurrence and development of DR. Therefore, direct intervention of HIF-1α or targeting one or more downstream target genes regulated by HIF-1α to treat DR may have better efficacy. In the future, the development of effective and safe HIF inhibitors or anti-VEGF with HIF-1α other target gene inhibitors may have broader clinical application prospects.
To review the role of hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in hypoxic-ischemic injury and its repair, and to analyze the possible mechanisms. Methods Recent l iterature on HIF-1α and its role in hypoxic-ischemic injury was reviewed and analyzed. Results HIF-1α was involved in the hypoxic-ischemic injury of various organs or tissues and their repair processes. Conclusion HIF-1α has a potential to treat common cl inical hypoxic-ischemic injuries and has a promisingfuture for appl ication.