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Molecular and Cellular Biology, September 2004, p. 7469-7482, Vol. 24, No. 17
0270-7306/04/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/MCB.24.17.7469-7482.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Regional Cancer Center, Ontario,1 Department of Biochemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada,2 Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina,3 Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York,4 Department of Radiotherapy, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands5
Received 5 February 2004/ Returned for modification 8 March 2004/ Accepted 9 June 2004
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(eIF2
) phosphorylation by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase PERK. Here we show through microarray analysis of polysome-bound RNA in aerobic and hypoxic HeLa cells that a subset of transcripts are preferentially translated during hypoxia, including activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), an important mediator of the unfolded protein response. Changes in mRNA translation during the unfolded protein response are mediated by PERK phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2
at Ser-51. Similarly, PERK is activated and is responsible for translational regulation under hypoxic conditions, while inducing the translation of ATF4. The overexpression of a C-terminal fragment of GADD34 that constitutively dephosphorylates eIF2
was able to attenuate the phosphorylation of eIF2
and severely inhibit the induction of ATF4 in response to hypoxic stress. These studies demonstrate the essential role of ATF4 in the response to hypoxic stress, define the pathway for its induction, and reveal that GADD34, a target of ATF4 activation, negatively regulates the eIF2
-mediated inhibition of translation. Taken with the concomitant induction of additional ER-resident proteins identified by our microarray analysis, this study suggests an important integrated response between ER signaling and the cellular adaptation to hypoxic stress. |
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Hypoxic stress plays a pivotal role in normal human development and physiology, including embryogenesis and wound repair, and has been well studied for its importance in the pathogenesis of several human diseases, namely, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer (for a detailed review, see reference 52). Hypoxia results when oxygen availability does not meet the demand of the surrounding tissue, resulting in decreased oxygen tension. In cancer this is initiated by the rapid proliferation of tumor cells, which gives rise to abnormal and chaotic vasculature, leading to the development of occlusions, blind ends, and vesicular shunts (4). The presence of hypoxic cells in solid tumors is well documented, and both clinical and experimental evidence suggests that the hypoxic microenvironment of a tumor helps to produce a more aggressive phenotype (62) by functioning as a selective pressure for the clonal expansion of apoptotically insensitive cells (16). The presence of hypoxic regions in solid tumors also correlates with a poor prognosis and has been shown to limit the efficacy of standard anticancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy (5). A key element to cellular survival and adaptation during hypoxia is the transcription factor HIF-1 (hypoxia-inducible factor 1), the master regulator of oxygen homeostasis. Numerous critical genes are tightly regulated by HIF-1, including growth factors, oncoproteins, transcription factors, and glycolytic enzymes (62a), which mediate a shift in cellular metabolism toward energy conserving anaerobic glycolysis (53).
Other mechanisms of gene regulation are important to the cellular response to stress, such as the control of translation initiation. The importance of translational control on gene expression was originally proposed to play a fundamental role during development (47) and has subsequently been proven critical in regulating numerous physiological processes in the cell, including growth stimulation (39), cell cycle progression (48), differentiation (55), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, (17), and oncogenic signaling in cancer (46). Translational control provides a rapid and reversible mechanism of expression, whereas transcriptional induction can take hours to occur.
Regulation of eukaryotic protein translation occurs mainly at the level of translation initiation. Most mRNAs recruit ribosomes through the m7G-cap structure by the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex, followed by binding of the 43S preinitiation complex, consisting of the 40S ribosomal subunit, eIF1A, eIF3, and eIF2-GTP bound to the initiator tRNA, before scanning downstream to the initiating AUG (29). Successful translation initiation is only achieved when eIF2
binds GTP and (Met) tRNA, thereby forming the ternary complex. Formation of this complex is dependent on the exchange factor eIF2B, which exchanges the GDP-bound eIF2
for GTP. This can be inhibited by the phosphorylation of eIF2
at Ser-51 by an active eIF2
kinase. Mammalian cells have several eIF2
kinases that are activated in response to a variety of cellular stresses. PKR is activated by double-stranded RNA as a result of viral infection, whereas the ER-resident kinase, PERK, is activated by malfolded proteins in response to ER stress (19). The transcriptional effects during hypoxia and the result of HIF-1 signaling on cellular survival and adaptation are well-studied phenomena, whereas the contribution of translational control on hypoxia-responsive gene expression remains unclear. PERK has been implicated in the phosphorylation of eIF2
and the resulting attenuation of protein translation in response to hypoxic stress (28). Despite a profound inhibition of translation initiation that occurs in response to hypoxia, several discrete transcripts remain efficiently translated, including VEGF (58), HIF-1
(31), BiP (36), and ODC (45). These cellular mRNAs are able to recruit ribosome binding to internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) without the need of cap recognition from the eIF4F complex.
We have focused on identifying novel hypoxia regulated genes with the use of microarray analysis of polysomal and total mRNA populations in order to gain insight into both the transcriptional and translational changes that occur in response to hypoxic stress. Our studies reveal the preferential translation of numerous hypoxia-induced genes namely, eIF5, ATF3, ATF4, ATF6, VEGF, FGF2, and IGFBP4. One of these, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is an important mediator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), supporting the possibility of an integrated response between the UPR and hypoxia through the translational regulation of ATF4.
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Hypoxic treatments.
All experiments were performed with exponentially growing cells. For all experiments except for polysome fractionation, cells were plated in 60-mm glass culture dishes at a density of
106 cells/plate. After approximately 20 h, the culture dishes were placed in a hypoxic culture chamber (MACS VA500 miroaerophilic workstation [Don Whitley Scientific, Shipley, United Kingdom]). Hypoxic conditions were achieved with 90% N2, 5% CO2, 5% H2 (anaerobic grade gas), and palladium catalysts to scavenge trace oxygen.
Isolation of polysomes and RNA.
HeLa cells were plated on 150-mm glass culture dishes at a density of
7 x 106 cells/plate. Cells were left untreated for approximately 32 h prior to hypoxic exposure (16 h) or they were left untreated (0 h). For the isolation of intact polysomes, cells were first treated with 0.1 mg of CHX/ml for 3 min (37°C) prior to cell lysis. Cell extracts were prepared at 4°C; the cells were washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline containing CHX (0.1 mg/ml) and lysed in RNA lysis buffer (1% Triton X-100, 0.3 M NaCl, 15 mM MgCl2, 15 mM Tris [pH 7.4], 0.1 mg of CHX/ml, 100 U of RNasin [Ambion, Austin Tex.]/ml). Lysed HeLa cells were stained with Hoechst 33342 (5 µg/ml) to ensure nuclei were intact during lysis. Nuclei were subsequently removed by centrifugation (3,000 rpm, 5 min, 4°C), and the supernatant was centrifuged again to remove cellular debris (14,000 rpm, 5 min, 4°C). The lysate was layered onto 10-ml continuous sucrose gradients (10 to 50% sucrose in 15 mM MgCl2-15 mM Tris [pH 7.4]-0.3 M NaCl). Approximately 20% of the total volume of the cytoplasmic lysate was used as a source for total RNA by using phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. After 90 min of centrifugation at 39,000 rpm in an SW41-Ti rotor at 4°C, the absorbance at 254 nm was measured continuously as a function of gradient depth. Each fraction was digested with proteinase K, and RNA was recovered from individual fractions by phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation.
Microarray analysis. After polysome fractionation and RNA isolation, RNA from the high-molecular-weight polysomes (fractions 7 to 10 or fraction 11) were pooled from the normoxic samples (hereafter called 0-h poly) and from the hypoxic samples (hereafter called 16-h poly). Prior to microarray analysis RNA from the polysome fractions and the total RNA from the cytoplasmic lysates (0-h total and 16-h total) was purified with the RNeasy kit (Qiagen, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) according to the manufacturer's instructions. First, 20 µg of each RNA sample was processed according to the manufacturer's standard protocol (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, Calif.) and hybridized to an Affymetrix HGU95Av2 chip. Three independent 16-h poly and 0-h poly samples were obtained, and two independent 16-h total and 0-h total samples were obtained. The data from three independent experiments were analyzed by using the Affymetrix Mass 5.0 software and Genespring software (Silicon Genetics, Redwood City, Calif.).
Total cellular changes and polysome analysis. Prior to the assessment of gene changes in response to hypoxic stress, data were filtered in order to decrease the number of irrelevant unchanging genes. Genes classified as absent (Affymetrix MAS 5.0) across all gene chips were removed from the analysis, as were genes whose mean signal intensity for one or more samples was not greater than 600. (This number reflects the background noise of the microarray and would not result in a meaningful interpretation of the data generated.) To identify total cellular changes in gene expression, we used a mean cutoff of twofold when we compared the 0-h total gene chips to the 16-h total gene chips. Genes were further categorized based on molecular function and sorted based on fold change (only previously corroborated and interesting gene changes are reported here).
To identify genes that are preferentially translated during hypoxic stress, we compared the mean signal intensities of the 0-h poly gene chips to the 16-h poly gene chips by using a mean cutoff of twofold. In order to identify purely translationally regulated candidates, we removed genes from this list that demonstrated a concomitant increase in total mRNA expression (>3-fold change in the 16-h total gene chip relative to the 0-h total gene chip). Using Genespring software, we used Venn diagrams in order to subtract genes induced by the hypoxic stress and genes that were preferentially mobilized into the polysome fractions during hypoxic stress. Genes were further categorized based on molecular function and sorted on the ratio of 16-h poly signal to 0-h poly signal, which was used as a basis for interpreting the efficiency of translation during hypoxic stress. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the statistical significance of the polysomal changes.
Quantitative RT-PCR. The total and polysomal RNA described above from hypoxic and normoxic treated HeLa cells was reverse transcribed (500 ng of RNA) in the presence of 250 pg of vesicular stomatitis virus M protein (VSV-M) RNA (a viral transcript used as a control for reverse transcription [RT] efficiency and quantitative real-time PCR [Q-PCR]). Quantitative PCR was performed in triplicate to amplify all targets by using the FastStart DNA Master SYBR Green I kit (Roche Diagnostics, Laval, Canada) according to the manufacturer's instructions and the Roche LightCycler thermocycler. Crossing points were converted to absolute quantities based on standard curves generated for each target amplicon. All target signals were subsequently normalized to VSV-M in order to correct for RT-PCR efficiency. The following primers were used: hATF4 left (5'-CTTACGTTGCCATGATCCCT-3') and right (5'-CTTCTGGCGGTACCTAGTGG-3'), mATF4 left (5'-TCCTGAACAGCGAAGTGTTG-3') and right (5'-ACCCATGAGGTTTCAAGTGC-3'), eIF5 left (5'-TTGAAGGAGGCAGAGGAAGA-3') and right (5'-ACATGTTGCACTTCTGGCTG-3'), txbp151 left (5'-CCAAAGGCTCCAAAAACAAA-3') and right (5'-CATTTCACAGACTTGCCCCT-3'), hsCDC6 left (5'-5'-TTGTTGTTGTTTTTGAGGCG-3') and right (5'-CCTGGCCAACATGGTAAAAC-3'), VSV-M Astart (5'-ACGAATTCAAATTAGGGATCGCACCACC-3') and Bend (5'-ACGGATCCCGTGATACTCGGGTTGACCT-3'), ATF3 left (5'-TAGGCTGGAAGAGCCAAAGA-3') and right (5'-TTCTCACAGCTGCAAACACC-3'), prolyl-4 hydroxylase left (5'-CCCATGTCAACGTGACAGAC-3') and right (5'-GCAGCCACTTTGATCCTAGC-3'), ATF6 forward (5'-AGCAGGAACTCAGGGAGTGA-3') and reverse (5'-GGAGGTAAGGAGGAACCGAC-3'), BiP forward (5'-CCACCAAGATGCTGACATTG-3') and reverse (5'-GAAAAGCAGTAAACAGCCGC-3'), and cyclin D3 forward (5'-AGGCTGATGGGACAGAATTG-3') and reverse (5'-AGCTGAGCAGAAAGCAAAGC-3').
Q-PCR results are presented as either the number of transcripts in total RNA or as the polysomal RNA per cell. The results from each transcript were normalized to an exogenous control (VSV-M), multiplied by 100, and transformed to a log scale prior to plotting.
Immunoblotting. After treatments, cells were placed on ice, washed with PBS, and lysed on ice in 2x WB buffer (5 mM Tris [pH 6.8], 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 2% glycerol, 2 mM dithiothreitol) supplemented with Complete mini protease inhibitor cocktail tables (Roche Diagnostics, Sussex, United Kingdom), 2 mM NaPPi, and 2 mM NaF for Western analysis. Protein concentrations of each sample were determined by the modified Bradford assay as recommended by the manufacturer (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif.). Proteins were resolved on sodium dodecyl sulfate-10% polyacrylamide gels and transferred onto Hybond ECL nitrocellulose membrane (Amersham, Arlington Heights, Ill.) with a wet transfer system (Bio-Rad). Membranes were stained with 0.15% Ponceau red (Sigma) to ensure equal loading and transfer and then blocked with 5% (wt/vol) dried nonfat milk in TBST buffer (10 mM Tris base, 150 mM NaCl, 0.5% Tween 20).
Primary antibodies for anti-rabbit Ser-51 phosphorylated eIF2
(1:500) and anti-mouse eIF2
(1:500; recognizes both the unphosphorylated and the phosphorylated forms of eIF2
) were obtained from Cell Signaling Technologies (Beverly, Mass.). The primary antibody for anti-mouse HIF-1
(1:1,000), H72320, was obtained from Transduction Labs, Lexington, Ky. Primary antibody sc-200 for anti-rabbit ATF4 (1:250) was obtained from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, Calif. Primary antibody for anti-mouse actin (1:10,000), A-5316, was obtained from Sigma, St. Louis, Mo. The primary antibody for anti-rabbit GADD34 (1:1,000) was kindly provided by David Ron (Skirball Institute). The primary antibody for BiP (1:1,000) was kindly provided by Martin Holcik (CHEO, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). Anti-rabbit secondary antibody was obtained from Jackson ImmunoResearch (1:10,000), and anti-mouse secondary antibody was obtained from Bio-Rad (1:3,000). Horseradish peroxidase-coupled secondary antibodies were detected by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL-Plus; Amersham Biosciences, Piscataway, N.J.) reagent kit in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
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Polysomal mRNA was isolated from total cellular mRNA by fractionation through a 10 to 50% sucrose gradient. The optical density profiles of the sucrose gradients are shown in Fig. 1. In each gradient the top fractions (fractions 1 to 4) represent ribosomal complexes (40S, 60S, and 80S) and free mRNAs, whereas the bottom fractions (fractions 5 to 10 or fraction 11) represent transcripts associated with polysomes. In order to verify the proper identification of the polysomal peaks, cells were treated with puromycin, an inhibitor of translation that causes the release of nascent peptides and mRNAs from ribosomes. The resulting polysome profile demonstrated a shift of the mRNAs from the polysomes into the free mRNA, 40S, and 60S ribosomal complexes and monosome peaks (data not shown). After hypoxic stress, there is a significant inhibition in protein translation, as seen by the accumulation of free mRNA and rRNAs, with a considerable increase in the monosome peak. HeLa cells remained >98% viable throughout the 16 h of hypoxic stress (data not shown). For microarray analysis, mRNA associated with more than two ribosomes were pooled. These messages are thus indicative of highly expressed transcripts that undergo preferential translation in an environment that favors the overall inhibition of protein translation. Total RNA was also obtained from 16-h hypoxic lysates and normoxic lysates, hereafter named 16-h total and 0-h total, respectively, treated identically to the polysomal RNA prior to sucrose gradient fractionation. Affymetrix MAS 5.0 software was used to compare steady-state changes and polysomal changes in gene expression between the 16-h and 0-h lysates.
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FIG. 1. Hypoxic stress results in global inhibition of protein translation. (A and B) Polysome profiles (absorbance at 254 nm) in cell lysates fractionated by sucrose density ultracentrifugation. HeLa cells were exposed to hypoxic stress for 16 h (B) or left untreated (A). Cells were treated with CHX at 100 µg/ml (37°C, 3 min) and lysed in a Triton X-100 buffer (4°C). Cell lysates were layered on a 10-ml continuous sucrose gradient (10 to 50%) and ultracentrifuged in an SW41 rotor at 39,000 rpm for 90 min. The positions of the polysomes and ribosomal subunits are indicated. The increase in monosome-bound transcripts and ribosomal subunits combined with the decrease in polysomes apparent in the hypoxia-treated cells is indicative of decreased protein translation. RNA extracted from the polysome fractions was applied to a 1% agarose gel and electrophoresed. The abundant 28S, 18S, and 5S rRNAs were directly visualized by ethidium bromide staining. The polysome fractions isolated for microarray analysis, 0-h poly and 16-h poly, are indicated.
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FIG. 2. Scatter plots of oligonucleotide probes as affected by hypoxic stress. Total and polysomal RNAs were hybridized to the Affymetrix Human Genome U95A (HG-U9Av2) oligonucleotide microarray chip. Relative gene probe intensities (x axis) of total RNA (A) and polysomal mRNA (B and C) of aerobic cells (0 h) were plotted against the corresponding gene probe intensities (y axis) of hypoxia-treated cells (16 h). Gene probes above the top green line represent genes induced >2-fold; gene probes below the bottom green line represent genes repressed >2-fold. (C) Gene probes in green represent genes that were induced >2-fold in the polysomes but whose total mRNA was not induced >2-fold. A short list of these translational candidates is presented in Table 2. Gene probes in yellow represent genes whose expression was induced >2-fold in both the total RNA and polysomal mRNA profiles.
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TABLE 1. Steady-state changes in gene expressiona
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TABLE 2. Hypoxia-induced translationally regulated genesa
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FIG. 3. ATF4 mRNA is more efficiently translated during hypoxia. (A) Translational candidates. The total mRNA expression does not change during hypoxia. Total RNA was isolated prior to sucrose gradient fractionation from hypoxia treated (16 h) or normoxic (0 h) HeLa cells, reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The quantities of each transcript are described as the number of transcripts isolated from total RNA per cell. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was replicated in triplicate. The results are representative of the average ± the standard error of the mean (SEM) of at least five independent experiments. (B) Translational candidates. Transcripts are enriched in the polysomes during hypoxia. High-molecular-weight polysomes from hypoxia-treated (16 h) or normoxic (0 h) HeLa cells were pooled (fractions 7 to 11), reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The quantities of each transcript are described as the number of transcripts isolated from polysomal RNA per cell. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was repeated in triplicate. The results are representative of the average ± the SEM of at least five independent experiments. (C) Trans-lation efficiency increases for translationally regulated genes. The efficiency of translation during hypoxic treatment (16 h) and normoxia (0 h) was plotted as the percentage of total mRNA associated with polysomes: (quantity of poly mRNAtime x/quantity of total mRNAtime x) x 100%. (D) Hypoxia-induced genes. Total mRNA expression is induced during hypoxia. Total RNA was isolated prior to sucrose gradient fractionation from hypoxia-treated (16 h) or normoxic (0 h) HeLa cells, reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The quantities of each transcript are described as the number of transcripts isolated from total RNA per cell. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was replicated in triplicate. The results are representative of the average ± the SEM of at least three independent experiments. (E) Hypoxia-induced genes. Transcripts are enriched in the polysomes during hypoxia. High-molecular-weight polysomes from hypoxia-treated (16 h) or normoxic (0 h) HeLa cells were pooled (fractions 7 to 11), reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The quantities of each transcript are described as the number of transcripts isolated from polysomal RNA per cell. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was repeated in triplicate. The results are representative of the average ± the SEM of at least three independent experiments. (F) Changes in translation efficiency for hypoxia induced genes. The efficiency of translation during hypoxic treatment (16 h) and normoxia (0 h) was plotted as the percentage of total mRNA associated with polysomes: (quantity of poly mRNAtime x/quantity of total mRNAtime x) x 100%.
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ATF4 protein expression is induced during hypoxia.
Previous reports have established a regulatory mechanism for the translational control of ATF4 in response to ER stress and amino acid starvation (18). The 5'UTR of human ATF4 encodes three short open reading frames (uORFs), two of which are conserved in all known species. These mediate the repression of ATF4 expression in unstressed cells. Under conditions of eIF2
phosphorylation, successful reinitiation at the authentic start codon results in the efficient translation of ATF4. Our observation that hypoxia results in the mobilization of ATF4 mRNA onto the polysomes made us question whether ATF4 is preferentially translated during hypoxic stress. Both the microarray and the Q-PCR analysis suggest a posttranscriptional induction of ATF4 during hypoxia. This was further corroborated by the induction of the ATF4 protein after both 4 and 16 h of hypoxia (Fig. 4A), with maximal ATF4 induction by 4 h. The translational regulation of ATF4 was further supported by the observation that treatment with the transcriptional inhibitor ActD did not prevent the accumulation of ATF4 protein during hypoxia (Fig. 3B). Similar observations were found with a second transcriptional inhibitor, DRB (data not shown). To refute the possibility that ATF4 protein expression was mediated by increased protein stability during translation, HeLa cells were treated with the translational inhibitor CHX before treatment with hypoxia and after 1 h of hypoxia (Fig. 4C and D). Cells treated with CHX before hypoxic stress do not induce ATF4 protein during 4 h of hypoxia and do not further induce ATF4 if treated with CHX after 1 h of hypoxic stress. ATF4 has a short half-life between 30 min and 1 h (32), which supports the observed immediate degradation of ATF4 after CHX treatment. These findings are consistent with the previously reported translational regulation of ATF4 during ER stress and amino acid deprivation (18).
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FIG. 4. ATF4 is translationally induced after hypoxic stress. (A) Immunoblot analysis of ATF4 and HIF-1 protein content in HeLa cells exposed to hypoxia or left untreated for the indicated period of time. Actin serves as a loading control. (B) Immunoblot of ATF4 and BiP in HeLa cells treated with hypoxia for the indicated period of time in the presence or absence of the transcriptional inhibitor ActD (100 µM) added 5 min before treatment. Similar results were obtained by using another transcriptional inhibitor, DRB at 100 µM (data not shown). Actin serves as a loading control. (C) Immunoblot of ATF4 and HIF-1 in HeLa cells treated with hypoxia for the indicated period of time in the presence or absence of the translational inhibitor CHX (100 µM). Actin serves as a loading control. (D) Immunoblot of ATF4 and HIF-1 in HeLa cells exposed to hypoxia for the indicated period of time. Cells were first treated with hypoxia, followed by the addition of the translational inhibitor CHX for 15 min, 30 min, or 1 h. Actin served as a loading control.
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by PERK is necessary for ATF4 translation during hypoxia.
The activation of eIF2
kinases and phosphorylation of eIF2
has been shown to be essential for the selective translational induction of ATF4 in response to both ER stress and amino acid starvation (18). The importance of PERK in the phosphorylation of eIF2
during hypoxic and anoxic stress has been reported (28).
Parallel analysis of ATF4 mRNA in the polysomes of PERK+/+ and PERK/ MEFs revealed that in the absence of PERK there was a significant decrease in the amount of ATF4 mRNA recruited to polysomes and translated under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions (Fig. 5B and C). As expected, eIF2
phosphorylation was induced in response to hypoxic stress only in PERK+/+ MEFs (Fig. 5C). In a previous study, analysis of PKR knockout (PKR/) MEFs during hypoxic stress was not shown to have any impact on the levels of eIF2
phosphorylation (28). Our analysis of MEFs derived from wild-type, PKR knockout (PKR/), and PERK/PKR double knockout (PERK/, PKR/) mice confirmed these findings (Fig. 6). However, we sought to examine directly the effects of disrupting both the PKR and the PERK signaling pathways on ATF4 expression during hypoxia.
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FIG. 5. PERK is required for induction of ATF4 in response to hypoxic stress. (A) High-molecular-weight polysomes from normoxic cells (PERK+/+, PERK/, PKR/, PERK/ PKR/, HT29-A1, and HT29-Puro) were pooled (fractions 7 to 11), reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The quantity of ATF4 is described as the number of ATF4 transcripts isolated from polysomal RNA per cell. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was repeated in triplicate. (B) High-molecular-weight polysomes from hypoxia-treated (16 h) or normoxic (0 h) PERK+/+ and PERK/ cells were pooled (fractions 7 to 11), reverse transcribed, and quantified by real-time PCR. The efficiency of ATF4 translation during hypoxic treatment (16 h) and normoxia (0 h) was plotted as the percentage of total mRNA associated with polysomes: (quantity of poly mRNAtime x/quantity of total mRNAtime x) x 100%. Each sample was independently normalized to a spiked internal control. Q-PCR analysis was repeated in triplicate. (C) Immunoblot of ATF4 and eIF2 phosphorylated on Ser-51 [eIF2a(p)] in PERK+/+ and PERK/ MEFs for the indicated period of time after hypoxic stress. Actin served as a loading control.
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FIG. 6. PERK is necessary for ATF4 signal transduction during hypoxic stress. Immunoblot of ATF4, eIF2 (p), total eIF2 , and GADD34 from hypoxia-treated and 100 nM thapsigargin (Tg)-treated wild-type, PKR/, and PKR/ PERK/ double-knockout MEFs for the indicated periods of time. Actin served as a loading control.
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phosphorylation and the induction of ATF4 in the wild-type and PKR/ MEFs. Under normoxic conditions all MEFs exhibited very little expression of ATF4. Within 1 h of hypoxic stress, ATF4 expression was induced in both the wild-type and the PKR/ MEFs (Fig. 6A and B). Although the magnitude of this induction appears to be lower in the PKR/ cells relative to the wild type, the consequence of this on the eIF2
signaling pathway remains to be elucidated. Similar results were obtained with cells treated with thapsigargin. Treatment of double-knockout (PERK/ PKR/) MEFs with either hypoxia or thapsigargin failed to induce phosphorylation of eIF2
or increase translation of ATF4 (Fig. 6C), whereas the PKR/ thapsigargin-treated control demonstrated a phosphorylated eIF2
signal, as well as induced ATF4 protein expression.
GADD34 expression antagonizes the induction of ATF4 during hypoxia.
GADD34 protein can directly interact and activate the catalytic subunit of type 1 protein serine/threonine phosphatase (PP1), which in turn functions to dephosphorylate eIF2
to allow protein translation to resume (9, 40, 41). Recently, ATF4 was found to bind and activate a conserved ATF site in the promoter sequence of GADD34, providing a model for a negative feedback loop that might control protein translation during ER stress (35). To date, there is no evidence that GADD34 is induced during hypoxia. The data obtained with the wild-type, PKR/, and double-knockout MEFs during hypoxic stress revealed that the induction of GADD34 was inhibited when the PERK signaling pathway was repressed (Fig. 6B and C and Fig. 7). To determine whether GADD34 expression can antagonize eIF2
phosphorylation and ATF4 induction during hypoxia, HT29 cells stably expressing a C-terminal truncated mutant of GADD34 (HT-29 A1) were treated with hypoxia and thapsigargin. These cells express the insert of a retroviral clone A1, which encodes the COOH-terminal 299 amino acids (292 to 590) of the hamster GADD34 protein (40), which causes the constitutive dephosphorylation of eIF2
. Treatment of HT-29 A1 cells with hypoxia severely inhibited the phosphorylation of eIF2
and induction of ATF4; however, HT-29 cells expressing the parental plasmid (HT29-Puro) exhibited the same expression profile as wild-type and PKR/ MEFs in response to hypoxia. Similar results were obtained when these cells were treated with thapsigargin. These findings suggest that ATF4 regulates the expression of GADD34, which in turn can inhibit the ATF4 signaling pathway during hypoxia. Q-PCR analysis verified that reduced levels of ATF4 protein expression observed in the knockout MEFs and the HT29-GADD34 truncated mutant was not the product of decreased ATF4 mRNA levels (Fig. 5A). Interestingly, the PKR/ and double-knockout MEFs express higher basal levels of ATF4 mRNA than the wild-type MEFs. Similarly, higher ATF4 mRNA levels are expressed in HT29 cells expressing the COOH-terminal truncated GADD34.
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FIG. 7. Overexpression of GADD34 can antagonize ATF4 signaling during hypoxia. Immunoblot of ATF4, eIF2 (p), total eIF2 , and GADD34 from hypoxia-treated or 100 nM thapsigargin (Tg)-treated HT29-Puro (parental) cells or HT29-A1 cells expressing a C-terminal fragment of GADD34 that constitutively dephosphorylates eIF2 (GADD34trunc) (41). Actin served as a loading control.
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at Ser-51 (28). However, despite PERK-mediated inhibition, the translation of some genes remains unaffected, whereas others, e.g., HIF-1
and its downstream gene products (31) are translated more efficiently. Consequently, cells must be capable of maintaining and inducing gene expression in order to mediate cellular adaptation and cell viability during hypoxia. A collective analysis of data generated by microarray and Q-PCR facilitated the identification of three classes of gene expression that likely contribute to this strategy. The first category includes mRNAs that are transcriptionally induced and are more efficiently translated under hypoxic stress; both BiP and ATF3 are examples of this method of gene regulation (Fig. 3D to F; additional candidate genes are listed in Table 1). A second category includes genes that are transcriptionally induced and whose translational efficiencies are either unchanged or diminished in response to hypoxia. CA9 and P4H2, both HIF-1-regulated gene products, demonstrate a decrease in their translational efficiencies during hypoxia (Fig. 3D to F; additional candidate genes are listed in Table 1). The third class of gene expression includes genes that are more efficiently translated during hypoxia without an associated transcriptional induction in total mRNA. Genes that correspond to this category include eIF5, txbp151, ATF6, and ATF4 (Fig. 3A to C; additional candidate genes are listed in Table 2). Similar analyses have been previously used to identify translationally regulated genes involved in host cell response to poliovirus infection (26), T-cell activation (38), VHL expression (14), and most recently in oncogenic signaling through Ras and Akt (46). Thus, a combination of changes in steady-state mRNA and translational changes in gene expression can modulate the cellular responses to stress.
The selective inhibition of cap-dependent translation could regulate the translational expression of important hypoxia-responsive genes with IRESs. IRES-mediated initiation was first discovered in picornaviruses such as poliovirus (25). Many cellular IRES elementsnamely, PDGF2 (2), c-sis (51), APAF-1 (8), c-myc (59), and XIAP (23)function under stress conditions when rates of protein synthesis via cap-dependent translation are reduced. Specifically, VEGF (58), HIF-1
(31), BiP (36), and ODC (45) have demonstrated functional IRES activity during hypoxic stress. The importance of IRES expression as a key regulator of translation during hypoxia currently remains undetermined. We are undertaking efforts to determine which, if any, of the translationally regulated transcripts reported possess functional IRESs.
ATF4, an important mediator of the UPR, is ubiquitously expressed at low basal levels, although poorly translated in unstressed cells due to the presence of three uORFs in its 5'UTR (18). This regulatory mechanism resembles that of the yeast protein GCN4. In yeast, global inhibition of translation occurs upon amino acid depletion. Active GCN2 phosphorylates eIF2
and preferentially promotes the synthesis of GCN4, a transcription factor that controls the expression of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis (21).
Translation of ATF4 rapidly follows eIF2
phosphorylation during times of ER stress, arsenite treatment, and amino acid starvation (17). During hypoxia PERK activation results in the phosphorylation of eIF2
(28); taken together, this suggests an important UPR-integrated response to hypoxic stress. Microarray analysis of total cellular mRNAs revealed the transcriptional induction of many other ER-resident proteins, including GADD34, GRP58, HSP70, Grp78/BiP, and HSP28 (Table 1), as well as CHOP/Gadd153, ORP150, and Gadd45 (C. Koumenis, unpublished data), further supporting the connection between hypoxia and the UPR.
Our studies with PERK/ MEFs have shown that this kinase is absolutely required for ATF4 translation (Fig. 5C). Interestingly, even in the absence of efficient translation, ATF4 mRNA is still recruited, to some extent, into the polysome fraction. Since we and others have shown that the initiation of translation at the authentic start codon of ATF4 is dependent on PERK phosphorylation of eIF2
(18, 28), our results (Fig. 5B) suggest that ATF4 mRNA can be recruited to the polysome fraction in the absence of PERK activity through initiation and translation of upstream ORFs.
Although others have suggested that anoxic induction of ATF4 is regulated at the level of protein stability (1), our experiments with CHX treatment of HeLa cells (Fig. 4) suggest a requirement for de novo protein synthesis. Although we cannot exclude that increased protein stability of ATF4 may contribute to its posttranslational regulation, our data demonstrate that ATF4 is regulated, at least in part, by an increase in its translational efficiency during hypoxic stress.
Our microarray analysis revealed an induction of GADD34 gene expression in the total cellular mRNA by 3.4-fold accompanied by a 6.1-fold increase in its translational efficiency. GADD34 directs the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 to eIF2
(9, 35, 40), leading to its dephosphorylation and promoting resolution of the translational repression stage of the UPR (41). ATF4 is known to directly bind and activate an ATF site upstream of the GADD34 promoter (35); however, the role of GADD34 expression in the attenuation of hypoxia-induced eIF2
phosphorylation has not been addressed. Phosphorylation of eIF2
occurs upon acute exposure to hypoxic stress yet eIF2
phosphorylation appears to subside by 8 h (28). Our data demonstrate that induction of GADD34 begins after 2 h of hypoxic stress and is strongly induced by 4 h (Fig. 7). Furthermore, over expression of a COOH-truncated GADD34, which constitutively dephosphorylates eIF2
, demonstrated a severe inhibition in the induction of ATF4 during hypoxia (Fig. 7). This suggests an important role for GADD34 as a negative feedback regulator, mediating eIF2
dephosphorylation and inhibiting ATF4 expression during hypoxic stress (Fig. 8). Protein synthesis inhibition and phosphorylation of eIF2
are transient in response to ER stress (44). Sustained eIF2
phosphorylation is lethal both in cultured cells and in the in vivo neuronal response to ischemic stress (11). It has been suggested that the GADD34 negative feedback loop is necessary for cellular recovery after ER stress (41), as seen by a decrease in cell survival in cells expressing a GADD34 mutant lacking the COOH-terminal domain necessary for PP1 activation and eIF2
dephosphorylation. In addition, it has been demonstrated that expression of a nonphosphorylatable eIF2
partially protects cells from apoptosis. Conversely, the expression of an eIF2
phosphormimetic (S51D) increased apoptotic cell death (57). The observation that the mechanism of translational inhibition during prolonged hypoxic exposure changes from a global inhibition through eIF2
phosphorylation to a selective inhibition of cap-dependent translation by preventing the formation of eIF4F complexes (B. G. Wouters, unpublished data), presents the possibility of a molecular switch responsible for this response. The attenuation of eIF2
phosphorylation by GADD34 during hypoxia may play a role in this molecular switch.
![]() View larger version (26K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 8. Model depicting the role of ATF4 during Hypoxic stress. Hypoxia and oxidative stress activate the eIF2 kinase PERK. Phosphorylation of eIF2 results in the global inhibition of protein translation. Some transcripts, such as ATF4, ATF6, and eIF5, are able to escape this general control mechanism. Transcriptional induction of GADD34 results in the activation of PP1 and the dephosphorylation of eIF2 after prolonged exposure to hypoxia. The microarray data also support the notion that numerous ER-resident proteins are induced in response to hypoxic stress, suggesting that cellular adaptation to hypoxic stress may rely on a integrated ER-generated stress signal.
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may be an essential intermediate signal for the switch from the inhibition of global translation to a more selective inhibition of cap-dependent translation. Understanding the molecular events that support the development of tumor cell resistance to hypoxia is imperative for the discovery of effective therapies. The ability of hypoxic tumor cells to simultaneously promote angiogenesis, metastasis, and glycolysis, substantiates the need of cellular adaptation for continued cell viability. Whether the ATF4 signaling pathway is a key element that promotes cell survival during hypoxia still needs to be determined. Interestingly, the overexpression of a novel hypoxia regulated gene, SKIP3, has been implicating in destabilization of ATF4 protein in multiple primary human tumors (3). The occurrence of deregulated ATF4 expression in primary cancers therefore implicates ATF4 signaling in tumor progression.
We thank D. Stojdl for critically reading the manuscript.
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