Therapeutic inhibition of HIF-2α reverses polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension in murine models of human diseases.

Polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension are 2 human diseases for which better therapies are needed. Upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) and its target genes, erythropoietin (EPO) and endothelin-1, causes polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension in patients with Chuvash polycythemia who are homozygous for the R200W mutation in the von Hippel Lindau (VHL) gene and in a murine mouse model of Chuvash polycythemia that bears the same homozygous VhlR200W mutation. Moreover, the aged VhlR200W mice developed pulmonary fibrosis, most likely due to the increased expression of Cxcl-12, another Hif-2α target. Patients with mutations in iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1) also develop polycythemia, and Irp1-knockout (Irp1-KO) mice exhibit polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac fibrosis attributable to translational derepression of Hif-2α, and the resultant high expression of the Hif-2α targets EPO, endothelin-1, and Cxcl-12. In this study, we inactivated Hif-2α with the second-generation allosteric HIF-2α inhibitor MK-6482 in VhlR200W, Irp1-KO, and double-mutant VhlR200W;Irp1-KO mice. MK-6482 treatment decreased EPO production and reversed polycythemia in all 3 mouse models. Drug treatment also decreased right ventricular pressure and mitigated pulmonary hypertension in VhlR200W, Irp1-KO, and VhlR200W;Irp1-KO mice to near normal wild-type levels and normalized the movement of the cardiac interventricular septum in VhlR200Wmice. MK-6482 treatment reduced the increased expression of Cxcl-12, which, in association with CXCR4, mediates fibrocyte influx into the lungs, potentially causing pulmonary fibrosis. Our results suggest that oral intake of MK-6482 could represent a new approach to treatment of patients with polycythemia, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and complications caused by elevated expression of HIF-2α.

Biogenesis and functions of mammalian iron-sulfur proteins in the regulation of iron homeostasis and pivotal metabolic pathways.

Fe-S cofactors are composed of iron and inorganic sulfur in various stoichiometries. A complex assembly pathway conducts their initial synthesis and subsequent binding to recipient proteins. In this minireview, we discuss how discovery of the role of the mammalian cytosolic aconitase, known as iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1), led to the characterization of the function of its Fe-S cluster in sensing and regulating cellular iron homeostasis. Moreover, we present an overview of recent studies that have provided insights into the mechanism of Fe-S cluster transfer to recipient Fe-S proteins.

Characterisation of iron regulatory protein 1A and 1B in the blood-feeding copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis.

During its parasitic life stages, the marine ectoparasitic copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis ingests large amounts of host blood, which contains high amounts of iron. Iron is an essential micronutrient, but also toxic in high dosages, and blood-feeding parasites like the salmon louse must thus possess an efficient system to handle the excess iron. Iron regulatory protein 1 and 2 (IRP1 and IRP2) are known to play crucial roles in this process, by regulating several proteins involved in iron transport and storage, depending on the cellular iron concentration. To gain knowledge about the regulation of the iron metabolism in salmon lice, two IRP homologues (LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B) were identified by sequence and predicted structure similarity to known IRPs in other species. In situ hybridisation revealed that LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B mRNAs were expressed in the ovaries, oviducts and vitellogenic oocytes of adult females. Transcription levels of LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B mRNAs did not differ significantly between the different developmental stages of the salmon louse. Adults in the absence of blood as a feed source had decreased levels of LsIRP1A, but not LsIRP1B mRNA. RNA binding experiments indicated the presence of functioning IRP in salmon lice. In order to explore the biological functions of LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B, the mRNAs of both proteins were knocked down by RNA interference (RNAi) in preadult females. The knockdown was confirmed by qRT-PCR. LsIRP1B knockdown lice produced less offspring than control lice due to slightly shorter egg strings and had decreased levels of transcripts involved in egg development. Knockdown of both LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B caused increased expression of a salmon louse Ferritin (LsFer). These results confirm that salmon lice have two IRP1 homologues, LsIRP1A and LsIRP1B, and might suggest a function in cellular iron regulation in the reproductive organs and eggs.

Nucleotide-specific recognition of iron-responsive elements by iron regulatory protein 1.

IRP1 [iron regulatory protein (IRP) 1] is a bifunctional protein with mutually exclusive end-states. In one mode of operation, IRP1 binds iron-responsive element (IRE) stem-loops in messenger RNAs encoding proteins of iron metabolism to control their rate of translation. In its other mode, IRP1 serves as cytoplasmic aconitase to correlate iron availability with the energy and oxidative stress status of the cell. IRP1/IRE binding occurs through two separate interfaces, which together contribute about two-dozen hydrogen bonds. Five amino acids make base-specific contacts and are expected to contribute significantly to binding affinity and specificity of this protein:RNA interaction. In this mutagenesis study, each of the five base-specific amino acids was changed to alter binding at each site. Analysis of IRE binding affinity and translational repression activity of the resulting IRP1 mutants showed that four of the five contact points contribute uniquely to the overall binding affinity of the IRP1:IRE interaction, while one site was found to be unimportant. The stronger-than-expected effect on binding affinity of mutations at Lys379 and Ser681, residues that make contact with the conserved nucleotides G16 and C8, respectively, identified them as particularly critical for providing specificity and stability to IRP1:IRE complex formation. We also show that even though the base-specific RNA-binding residues are not part of the aconitase active site, their substitutions can affect the aconitase activity of holo-IRP1, positively or negatively.

IRP1 regulates erythropoiesis and systemic iron homeostasis by controlling HIF2α mRNA translation.

Hypoxia inducible factor 2α (HIF2α) transcriptionally activates several genes in response to hypoxia. Under normoxic conditions, it undergoes oxygen-dependent degradation by the prolyl hydroxylase (PHD)/von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) system. The presence of an iron-responsive element (IRE) within the 5' untranslated region of HIF2α mRNA suggests a further iron- and oxygen-dependent mechanism for translational regulation of its expression via iron regulatory proteins 1 and 2 (IRP1 and IRP2, respectively). We show here that the disruption of mouse IRP1, but not IRP2, leads to profound HIF2α-dependent abnormalities in erythropoiesis and systemic iron metabolism. Thus, 4- to 6-week-old IRP1(-/-) mice exhibit splenomegaly and extramedullary hematopoiesis, which is corrected in older animals. These erythropoietic abnormalities are caused by translational de-repression of HIF2α mRNA and subsequent accumulation of HIF2α, which induces expression of erythropoietin (Epo). Increased levels of circulating Epo lead to reticulocytosis, polycythemia, and suppression of hepatic hepcidin mRNA. This in turn promotes hyperferremia and iron depletion in splenic macrophages due to unrestricted expression of ferroportin. Our data demonstrate that IRP1 is the principal regulator of HIF2α mRNA translation in vivo and provide evidence that translational control of HIF2α expression dominates over PHD/VHL-mediated regulation of HIF2α stability in juvenile IRP1(-/-) mice.

In vivo role(s) of the iron regulatory proteins (IRP) 1 and 2 in aseptic local inflammation.

The maintenance of iron homeostasis is critical as both iron deficiency and iron excess are deleterious. In mammals, iron homeostasis is regulated systemically by the iron-hormone hepcidin, an acute-phase protein secreted by the liver which inhibits iron absorption and recycling. Cellularly, the interaction of iron regulatory proteins (IRP) 1 and 2 with iron-responsive elements controls the expression of target mRNAs encoding proteins of iron acquisition, storage, utilization, and export. These processes critically affect iron levels, which in turn impact on numerous aspects of inflammation. To explore the role of IRP1 and IRP2 in inflammation, IRP-deficient mice, i.e., mice with total and constitutive deficiency of either IRP, were subjected to acute aseptic local inflammation. Turpentine oil injection increases the expression of acute phase proteins in the liver and interleukin 6 levels in the serum of control mice. Both IRP-deficient mouse models mount the same responses, indicating that the treatment was efficient in all animals and that the acute phase response does not require expression of both IRPs. As expected, turpentine oil treatment enhances hepcidin mRNA expression in the liver of wild-type mice, associated with decreased serum iron levels. Importantly, Irp1 (-/-) and Irp2 (-/-) animals, respectively, display quantitatively similar hepcidin mRNA induction and the appropriate reduction of the serum iron values. Our data indicate that the response of Irp1 (-/-) and Irp2 (-/-) mice to acute local inflammation is largely preserved.

Glutathione depletion in immortalized midbrain-derived dopaminergic neurons results in increases in the labile iron pool: implications for Parkinson's disease.

Glutathione depletion is one of the earliest detectable events in the Parkinsonian substantia nigra (SN), but whether it is causative for ensuing molecular events associated with the disease is unknown. Here we report that reduction in levels of glutathione in immortalized midbrain-derived dopaminergic neurons results in increases in the cellular labile iron pool (LIP). This increase is independent of either iron regulatory protein/iron regulatory element (IRP/IRE) or hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) induction but is both H(2)0(2) and protein synthesis-dependent. Our findings suggest a novel mechanistic link between dopaminergic glutathione depletion and increased iron levels based on translational activation of TfR1. This may have important implications for neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson's disease in which both glutathione reduction and iron elevation have been implicated.

Iron regulatory proteins increase neuronal vulnerability to hydrogen peroxide.

Iron regulatory protein (IRP)-1 and IRP2 inhibit ferritin synthesis by binding to an iron responsive element in the 5'-untranslated region of its mRNA. The present study tested the hypothesis that neurons lacking these proteins would be resistant to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) toxicity. Wild-type cortical cultures treated with 100-300microM H(2)O(2) sustained widespread neuronal death, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase assay, and a significant increase in malondialdehyde. Both endpoints were reduced by over 85% in IRP2 knockout cultures. IRP1 gene deletion had a weaker and variable effect, with approximately 20% reduction in cell death at 300microM H(2)O(2). Ferritin expression after H(2)O(2) treatment was increased 1.9- and 6.7-fold in IRP1 and IRP2 knockout cultures, respectively, compared with wild-type. These results suggest that iron regulatory proteins, particularly IRP2, increase neuronal vulnerability to oxidative injury. Therapies targeting IRP2 binding to ferritin mRNA may attenuate neuronal loss due to oxidative stress.

Iron regulatory proteins are essential for intestinal function and control key iron absorption molecules in the duodenum.

Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) orchestrate the posttranscriptional regulation of critical iron metabolism proteins at the cellular level. Redundancy between IRP1 and IRP2 associated with embryonic lethality of doubly IRP-deficient mice has precluded the study of IRP function in vivo. Here we use Cre/Lox technology to generate viable organisms lacking IRP expression in a single tissue, the intestine. Mice lacking intestinal IRP expression develop intestinal malabsorption and dehydration postnatally and die within 4 weeks of birth. We demonstrate that IRPs control the expression of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) mRNA and protein, a limiting intestinal iron importer. IRPs are also shown to be critically important to secure physiological levels of the basolateral iron exporter ferroportin. IRPs are thus essential for intestinal function and organismal survival and coordinate the synthesis of key iron metabolism proteins in the duodenum.

Iron homeostasis in chronic inflammation.

Inflammation induced anemia and resistance to erythropoietin are common features in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Elevated levels of cytokines and enhanced oxidative stress, conditions associated with inflammatory states, are implicated in the development of anemia. Accumulating evidence suggests that activation of cytokine cascade and the associated acute-phase response, as it often occurs in patients with CKD, divert iron from erythropoiesis to storage sites within the reticuloendothelial system leading to functional iron deficiency and subsequently to anemia or resistance to erythropoietin. Other processes have also been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of anemia provoked by the activated immune system including an inhibition of erythroid progenitor proliferation and differentiation, a suppression of erythropoietin production and a blunted response to erythropoietin. The present review concerns the underlying alterations in iron metabolism induced by chronic inflammation that result in anemia.

Aquisition, mobilization and utilization of cellular iron and heme: endless findings and growing evidence of tight regulation.

Iron is fastidiously utilized by living cells, since it is an essential element, but is toxic in excess. Cells take up iron via a transferrin-transferrin receptor-dependent endocytotic process. The iron thus taken up is used for essential biological functions including oxygen transport, electron transfer, and DNA synthesis. The intracellular level of iron is tightly controlled, through regulation of the cellular uptake of iron and the sequestering of low molecular labile iron into the storage protein ferritin. The known proteins of iron transport and storage, transferrin, transferrin receptor and ferritin, have been recently linked with a number of newly identified proteins that are responsible for inherited diseases of iron metabolisms and play critical roles in the maintenance of iron homeostasis. These proteins are involved in regulation of intracellular levels of iron, iron transport, and heme transport and the oxygen-dependent regulation of gene expression. On the other hand, most iron is transported into mitochondria and immediately used for the biosynthesis of heme in erythroid cells. The heme biosynthesis in mitochondria is coupled with the supply of iron, and the heme, exported from mitochondria, is utilized as prosthetic groups of hemeproteins. Furthermore, non-erythroid and erythroid cells possess the different regulatory systems for the biosynthesis of heme; iron positively regulates the biosynthesis in erythroid cells while heme negatively regulates it in non-erythroid cells. Because of the toxicity and insolubility of heme, the intracellular level of uncommitted heme is maintained at a low concentration (< 10(-9)M). The influx and efflux of heme also help to prevent cytotoxicity. Finally, heme-binding transcriptional factors such as Bach1 and NPAS2 regulate the transcription of several genes involved in the synthesis and degradation of heme-hemeproteins. The discovery of new molecules related to disorders of iron and heme metabolism is ascribable to a complete mechanistic understanding of the cellular network of iron homeostasis. The network of interactions that link iron and heme metabolisms with functions of cellular regulation involving oxidative stress and inflammations contributes to new insights into clinical aspects of disorders.

Iron regulatory protein 1 as a sensor of reactive oxygen species.

Iron regulatory proteins (IRP1 and 2) function as translational regulators that coordinate the cellular iron metabolism of eukaryotes by binding to the mRNA of target genes such as the transferrin receptor or ferritin. In addition to IRP2, IRP1 serves as sensor of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As iron and oxygen are essential but potentially toxic constituents of most organisms, ROS-mediated modulation of IRP1 activity may be an important regulatory element in dissecting iron homeostasis and oxidative stress. The responses of IRP1 towards reactive oxygen species are compartment-specific and rather complex: H2O2 activates IRP1 via a signaling cascade that leads to upregulation of the transferrin receptor and cellular iron accumulation. Contrary, superoxide inactivates IRP1 by a direct chemical attack being limited to the intracellular compartment. In particular, activation of IRP1 by H2O2 has established a new regulatory link between inflammation and iron metabolism with new clinical implications. This mechanism seems to contribute to the anemia of chronic disease and inflammation-mediated iron accumulation in tissues. In addition, the cytotoxic side effects of redox-cycling anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin may involve H2O2-mediated IRP1 activation. These molecular insights open up new therapeutic strategies for the clinical management of chronic inflammation and drug-mediated cardiotoxicity.

Down-regulation of iron regulatory protein 1 activities and expression in superoxide dismutase 1 knock-out mice is not associated with alterations in iron metabolism.

Iron and oxygen (O2) are intimately associated in many well characterized patho-physiological processes. These include oxidation of the [4Fe-4S] cluster of mitochondrial aconitase and inactivation of this Krebs cycle enzyme by the superoxide anion (O2*-), a product of the one-electron of reduction O2. In contrast to the apparent toxicity of this reaction, the biological consequences of O2*- -mediated inactivation of the cytosolic counterpart of mitochondrial aconitase, commonly known as iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1), are not clear. Apart from its ability to convert citrate to iso-citrate, IRP1 in its apo-form binds to iron-responsive elements in the untranslated regions of mRNAs coding for proteins involved in iron metabolism, to regulate their synthesis and thus control the cellular homeostasis of this metal. Here, we show that in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) knock-out mice, lacking Cu,Zn-SOD, an enzyme that acts to reduce the concentration of O2*- mainly in cytosol, not only is aconitase activity of IRP1 inhibited but the level of IRP1 is also strongly decreased. Despite such an evident alteration in IRP1 status, SOD1-deficient mice display a normal iron metabolism phenotype. Our findings clearly show that under conditions of O2*- -mediated oxidative stress, IRP1 is not essential for the maintenance of iron metabolism in mammals.

Does cellular iron dysregulation play a causative role in Parkinson's disease?

Selective dopaminergic cell loss in Parkinson's disease is correlated with increased levels of cellular iron. It is still hotly debated as to whether the increase in iron is an upstream event which acts to promote neurodegeneration via formation of oxidative stress or whether iron accumulates as a by-product of the neuronal cell loss. Here we review evidence for loss of iron homeostasis as a causative factor in disease-associated neurodegeneration and the primary players which may be involved. A series of recent studies suggest that iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) coordinate both cellular iron levels and energy metabolism, both of which are disrupted in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may in turn contribute to increased levels of oxidative stress associated with the disease. Iron has also been recently been implicated in promotion of alpha-synuclein aggregation either directly or via increasing levels of oxidative stress suggesting an important role for it in Lewy body formation, another important hallmark of the disease.

Genetic ablations of iron regulatory proteins 1 and 2 reveal why iron regulatory protein 2 dominates iron homeostasis.

The two iron regulatory proteins IRP1 and IRP2 bind to transcripts of ferritin, transferrin receptor and other target genes to control the expression of iron metabolism proteins at the post-transcriptional level. Here we compare the effects of genetic ablation of IRP1 to IRP2 in mice. IRP1-/- mice misregulate iron metabolism only in the kidney and brown fat, two tissues in which the endogenous expression level of IRP1 greatly exceeds that of IRP2, whereas IRP2-/- mice misregulate the expression of target proteins in all tissues. Surprisingly, the RNA-binding activity of IRP1 does not increase in animals on a low-iron diet that is sufficient to activate IRP2. In animal tissues, most of the bifunctional IRP1 is in the form of cytosolic aconitase rather than an RNA-binding protein. Our findings indicate that the small RNA-binding fraction of IRP1, which is insensitive to cellular iron status, contributes to basal mammalian iron homeostasis, whereas IRP2 is sensitive to iron status and can compensate for the loss of IRP1 by increasing its binding activity. Thus, IRP2 dominates post-transcriptional regulation of iron metabolism in mammals.

Iron and carcinogenesis: from Fenton reaction to target genes.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to be associated with a wide variety of pathological phenomena such as carcinogenesis, inflammation, radiation and reperfusion injury. Iron, the most abundant transition metal ion in our body, may work as a catalyst for the generation of ROS in pathological conditions. In the past few years, there have been great advances in the understanding of iron metabolism. These include the discoveries of iron transporters and the gene responsible for hereditary hemochromatosis. Iron overload has been shown to be associated with carcinogenesis. We recently identified the major target genes (p16(INK4A) and p15(INK4B) tumor suppressor genes, which encode cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors) in a ferric nitrilotriacetate-induced rat renal carcinogenesis model, in which the Fenton reaction is induced in the renal proximal tubules. Allelic loss of the p16 gene occurs early in carcinogenesis and specifically at the p16 loci as compared with other tumor suppressor genes. This led to the novel concept of 'genomic sites vulnerable to the Fenton reaction'. Here, recent new findings on iron metabolism are reviewed and the concept of the vulnerable sites explored. More effort to link iron metabolism with human carcinogenesis is anticipated.

The iron regulatory proteins: targets and modulators of free radical reactions and oxidative damage.

Iron acquisition is a fundamental requirement for many aspects of life, but excess iron may result in formation of free radicals that damage cellular constituents. For this reason, the amount of iron within the cell is carefully regulated in order to provide an adequate level of a micronutrient while preventing its accumulation and toxicity. A major mechanism for the regulation of iron homeostasis relies on the post-transcriptional control of ferritin and transferrin receptor mRNAs, which are recognized by two cytoplasmic iron regulatory proteins (IRP-1 and IRP-2) that modulate their translation and stability, respectively. IRP-1 can function as a mRNA binding protein or as an aconitase, depending on whether it disassembles or assembles an iron-sulfur cluster in response to iron deficiency or abundancy, respectively. IRP-2 is structurally and functionally similar to IRP-1, but does not assemble a cluster nor exhibits aconitase activity. Here we briefly review the role of IRP in iron-mediated damage induced by oxygen radicals, nitrogen-centered reactive species, and xenobiotics of pharmacological and clinical interest.