N. Akeno et al., Hypoxia induces vascular endothelial growth factor gene transcription in human osteoblast-like cells through the hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha, ENDOCRINOL, 142(2), 2001, pp. 959-962
VEGF is produced by osteoblasts and has been postulated to function as an a
ngiogenic stimulus during normal skeletal development and in fracture repai
r. In this study, we characterized the molecular mechanisms by which experi
mental hypoxia increases VEGF mRNA in human MG63 osteoblast-like cells. Exp
osure of MG63 cells to 1% O-2 for 24 h resulted in a four-fold increase in
VEGF mRNA. Immunoblotting of nuclear extracts demonstrated a time-dependent
increase in the level of the Hif-2 alpha protein, which preceded the rise
in VEGF mRNA. To determine the effect of hypoxia on VEGF gene transcription
, MG63 cells were transiently transfected with a segment of the VEGF promot
er construct fused to luciferase and then exposed to 1% O-2 Hypoxia induced
VEGF promoter activity five-fold by 24h. Forced expression of Hif-2a, but
not Hif-1 alpha, increased both basal and hypoxia induced VEGF promoter act
ivity. By contrast, the ability of the VEGF reporter to respond to hypoxia
or recombinant Hif-2a was abolished in cells transfected with a VEGF promot
er construct containing a mutation in the hypoxia response element. In summ
ary, exposure of osteoblast-like cells to hypoxia induces VEGF expression v
ia induction of Hif-2 alpha and transcriptional activation of the VEGF prom
oter.