Hypoxia modulates fibroblastic architecture, adhesion and migration: a role for HIF-1α in cofilin regulation and cytoplasmic actin distribution.

Cells can adapt to hypoxia by various mechanisms. Yet, hypoxia-induced effects on the cytoskeleton-based cell architecture and functions are largely unknown. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the architecture and function of L929 fibroblasts under hypoxic conditions (1% O2). Cells cultivated in hypoxia showed striking morphological differences as compared to cells cultivated under normoxic conditions (20% O2). These changes include an enlargement of cell area and volume, increased numbers of focal contacts and loss of cell polarization. Furthermore the ß- and γ-actin distribution is greatly altered. These hypoxic adjustments are associated with enhanced cell spreading and a decline of cell motility in wound closure and single cell motility assays. As the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is stabilised in hypoxia and plays a pivotal role in the transcriptional response to changes in oxygen availability we used an shRNA-approach to examine the role of HIF-1α in cytoskeleton-related architecture and functions. We show that the observed increase in cell area, actin filament rearrangement, decrease of single cell migration in hypoxia and the maintenance of p-cofilin levels is dependent on HIF-1α stabilisation.

A novel player in cellular hypertrophy: Gißγ/PI3K-dependent activation of the RacGEF TIAM-1 is required for α1-adrenoceptor induced hypertrophy in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Activation of α(1)-adrenoceptors (α(1)-AR) by high catecholamine levels, e.g. in heart failure, is thought to be a driving force of cardiac hypertrophy. In this context several downstream mediators and cascades have been identified to potentially play a role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. One of these proteins is the monomeric G protein Rac1. However, until now it is unclear how this essential G protein is activated by α(1)-AR agonists and what are the downstream targets inducing cellular growth. By using protein-based as well as pharmacological inhibitors and the shRNA technique, we demonstrate that in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCM) Rac1 is activated via a cascade involving the α(1A)-AR subtype, G(i)ßγ, the phosphoinositide-3'-kinase and the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Tiam1. We further demonstrate that this signaling induces an increase in protein synthesis, cell size and atrial natriuretic peptide expression. We identified the p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) as a downstream effector of Rac1 and were able to link this cascade to the activation of the pro-hypertrophic kinases ERK1/2 and p90RSK. Our data thus reveal a prominent role of the α(1A)-AR/G(i)ßγ/Tiam1-mediated activation of Rac1 and its effector PAK2 in the induction of hypertrophy in NRCM.