The Circadian Clock Protein CRY1 Is a Negative Regulator of HIF-1α.

The circadian clock and the hypoxia-signaling pathway are regulated by an integrated interplay of positive and negative feedback limbs that incorporate energy homeostasis and carcinogenesis. We show that the negative circadian regulator CRY1 is also a negative regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Mechanistically, CRY1 interacts with the basic-helix-loop-helix domain of HIF-1α via its tail region. Subsequently, CRY1 reduces HIF-1α half-life and binding of HIFs to target gene promoters. This appeared to be CRY1 specific because genetic disruption of CRY1, but not CRY2, affected the hypoxia response. Furthermore, CRY1 deficiency could induce cellular HIF levels, proliferation, and migration, which could be reversed by CRISPR/Cas9- or short hairpin RNA-mediated HIF knockout. Altogether, our study provides a mechanistic explanation for genetic association studies linking a disruption of the circadian clock with hypoxia-associated processes such as carcinogenesis.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction Due to Lack of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Promotes Hepatocarcinogenesis.

AIMS: One of the cancer hallmarks is mitochondrial dysfunction associated with oxidative stress. Among the first line of defense against oxidative stress is the dismutation of superoxide radicals, which in the mitochondria is carried out by manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Accordingly, carcinogenesis would be associated with a dysregulation in MnSOD expression. However, the association studies available so far are conflicting, and no direct proof concerning the role of MnSOD as a tumor promoter or suppressor has been provided. Therefore, we investigated the role of MnSOD in carcinogenesis by studying the effect of MnSOD deficiency in cells and in the livers of mice. RESULTS: We found that loss of MnSOD in hepatoma cells contributed to their conversion toward a more malignant phenotype, affecting all cellular properties generally associated with metabolic transformation and tumorigenesis. In vivo, hepatocyte-specific MnSOD-deficient mice showed changed organ architecture, increased expression of tumor markers, and a faster response to carcinogenesis. Moreover, deficiency of MnSOD in both the in vitro and in vivo model reduced ß-catenin and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α levels. INNOVATION: The present study shows for the first time the important correlation between MnSOD presence and the regulation of two major pathways involved in carcinogenesis, the Wnt/ß-catenin and hypoxia signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Our study points toward a tumor suppressive role of MnSOD in liver, where the Wnt/ß-catenin and hypoxia pathway may be crucial elements.

Phosphorylation of the von Hippel-Lindau protein (VHL) by protein kinase CK2 reduces its protein stability and affects p53 and HIF-1alpha mediated transcription.

The von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor gene encodes a protein with 213 amino acids, which is known to be part of an E3-ubiquitin ligase targeting the HIF-1alpha transcription factor as well as to form a complex with p53. The VHL protein can be phosphorylated by protein kinase CK2 at serines 33, 38 and 43. However, the role of VHL phosphorylation in the context of p53 and HIF-1alpha regulation remained so far unknown. In the present study we investigated whether phosphorylation of VHL by CK2 might affect the function of p53 and HIF-1alpha. By using 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB), a CK2-specific inhibitor, as well as a mutant VHL where serines 33, 38 and 43 were replaced by alanines we found that CK2 phosphorylation affected the VHL protein half-life and increased VHL protein stability. Further, we found that inhibition of VHL phosphorylation by CK2 reduced p53 function. In addition, the enhanced levels of VHL due to CK2 inhibition contributed to the down-regulation of HIF-activity and degradation of HIF-1alpha. Thus, these results demonstrate that phosphorylation of VHL by CK2 plays an important role in the regulation of VHL protein stability and may contribute to the survival of tumour cells.

Microarray analysis of expressed sequence tags from haustoria of the rust fungus Uromyces fabae.

Rust fungi are plant parasites which colonise host tissue with an intercellular mycelium that forms haustoria within living plant cells. To identify genes expressed during biotrophic growth, EST sequencing was performed with a haustorium-specific cDNA library from Uromyces fabae. One thousand seventeen ESTs were generated, which assembled into 530 contigs. Several of the most frequently represented sequences in the EST database were identical to the in planta induced genes (PIGs) identified previously (Hahn, M., Mendgen, K., 1997. Characterisation of in planta-induced rust genes isolated from a haustorium-specific cDNA library, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 10, 427-437). Virus-encoded sequences were identified, providing evidence for two novel RNA mycoviruses in U. fabae. Microarray hybridisation revealed many cDNAs that were significantly activated in rust-infected leaves compared to germinated uredospores. Very strong in planta expression was found for two PIGs encoding putative metallothioneins. Furthermore, several genes involved in ribosome biogenesis and translation, glycolysis, amino acid metabolism, stress response, and detoxification showed an increased expression in the parasitic mycelium. These data indicate a strong shift in gene expression in rust fungi between germination and the biotrophic stage of development.