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Richard K Bruick

Publications and source records attributed to Richard K Bruick.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Regulation of HIF by prolyl hydroxylases: recruitment of the candidate tumor suppressor protein ING4.

Many cellular responses to changes in O2 availability are mediated through the hypoxia inducible transcription factor, HIF. HIF regulation is largely dependent on the activity of O2-dependent prolyl hydroxylases. Under normoxic conditions, these enzymes modify HIF to promote its proteasomal degradation. Recently we proposed a second function for the HIF prolyl hydroxylases--recruitment of the candidate tumor suppressor protein ING4 to HIF under hypoxic conditions. Rather than affecting hydroxylase activity or HIF stability, ING4 mediates the ability of HIF to activate transcription of its downstream target genes. This additional mechanism of HIF regulation may serve to fine-tune the magnitude of the cellular hypoxic response under physiological conditions. Furthermore, the identification of a link between ING4 and HIF may shed light on a mechanism by which misregulation of ING4 in tumors promotes angiogenesis, loss of contact inhibition, and changes in cellular proliferation and survival.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Functions of the Per/ARNT/Sim domains of the hypoxia-inducible factor.

The heterodimeric transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) plays an important role in the progression of a number of processes in which O2 availability is compromised and, as such, has become an increasingly attractive therapeutic target. Although tremendous progress has been made in recent years in unraveling the mechanisms underlying O2-dependent regulation of HIF through its O2-dependent degradation domain and C-terminal transactivation domain, our understanding of the contributions of other structural elements, particularly the Per/ARNT/Sim (PAS)-A and PAS-B domains, to the activity of HIF is incomplete. Using insights derived from the recently determined solution structures of the HIF PAS-B domains as a starting point, we have explored the function(s) of the HIF-2alpha PAS domains via mutational analysis. In contrast to recent models, our data reveal that both PAS domains of the HIF-alpha subunit are necessary for heterodimer formation but are not required to mediate other HIF functions in which PAS domains have been implicated. Because disruption of individual PAS domains compromise HIF function independent of the mechanism of HIF induction, these data demonstrate the potential utility of targeting these domains for therapeutic applications.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Dioxygenases as O2-dependent regulators of the hypoxic response pathway.

A ubiquitous pathway by which mammalian cells sense and respond to changes in oxygen availability relies upon the hypoxic induction of a transcription factor, HIF. HIF in turn activates the expression of an assemblage of genes promoting compensatory shifts in the capacity for anaerobic metabolism, O2 delivery, and other adaptive processes. The stability and activity of HIF are each regulated as a function of O2. Both mechanisms are directly mediated by posttranslational modification of this transcription factor: hydroxylation of proline and asparagine residues, respectively. These modifications are performed by members of the Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase family whose activities are directly and indirectly dependent on cellular O2 levels. As such, these oxygenases fill a role as environmental and metabolic sensors, a paradigm that may extend to other biological pathways.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Saururus cernuus lignans--potent small molecule inhibitors of hypoxia-inducible factor-1.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) represents an important tumor-selective therapeutic target for solid tumors. In search of novel small molecule HIF-1 inhibitors, 5400 natural product-rich extracts from plants, marine organisms, and microbes were examined for HIF-1 inhibitory activities using a cell-based reporter assay. Bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation, followed by structure elucidation, yielded three potent natural product-derived HIF-1 inhibitors and two structurally related inactive compounds. In a T47D cell-based reporter assay, manassantin B1, manassantin A, and 4-O-methylsaucerneol inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF-1 activation with IC50 values of 3, 3, and 20 nM, respectively. All three compounds are relatively hypoxia-specific inhibitors of HIF-1 activation, in comparison to other stimuli. The hypoxic induction of HIF-1 target genes CDKN1A, VEGF, and GLUT-1 were also inhibited. These compounds inhibit HIF-1 by blocking hypoxia-induced nuclear HIF-1alpha protein accumulation without affecting HIF-1alpha mRNA levels. In addition, preliminary structure-activity studies suggest specific structural requirements for this class of HIF-1 inhibitors.

Cell Line, Tumor↗
PubMed2005

The candidate tumor suppressor ING4 represses activation of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF).

The hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) plays an important role in the progression of a number of pathophysiological processes including tumorigenesis. In addition to several well characterized oxygen-dependent modes of regulation, the function of the HIF transcription factor can also be influenced through the action of other regulatory pathways. Misregulation of these factors resulting in inappropriate HIF expression or activity can contribute to the progression of human cancers through the induction of genes promoting angiogenesis, glycolysis, cell survival, and metastasis, among other processes. The candidate tumor suppressor protein inhibitor of growth family member 4 (ING4) has recently been implicated as a repressor of angiogenesis and tumor growth through association with NF-kappaB. Here we demonstrate that suppression of ING4 further induces HIF transcriptional activity as well. ING4 directly associates with the HIF prolyl hydroxylase, an Fe(II)-dependent oxygenase previously shown to mediate HIF stability as a function of oxygen availability. However, rather than affecting HIF's stability, ING4 mediates HIF's activity. These data support a model in which, in addition to regulating HIF stability, HIF prolyl hydroxylases can modulate HIF function through the recruitment of ING4, a likely component of a chromatin-remodeling complex.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed2004

Depletion of intracellular ascorbate by the carcinogenic metals nickel and cobalt results in the induction of hypoxic stress.

Exposure of cells to carcinogenic compounds of nickel(II) and cobalt(II) causes activation of the HIF-1 transcription factor and up-regulates a battery of hypoxia-inducible genes. However, the mechanism of HIF-1 activation by these metals is not known. It was shown recently that hydroxylation of prolines in the HIFalpha subunit of HIF-1 is required for its binding with the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein and the subsequent proteasomal destruction. Here we show that responsible prolyl hydroxylases are targets for both nickel(II) and cobalt(II) because degradation of a reporter protein containing the oxygen-dependent degradation domain (Pro-402/564) of HIFalpha was abolished in a von Hippel-Lindau-dependent manner in cells exposed to nickel(II) or cobalt(II). The enzymatic activity of prolyl hydroxylases depends on iron as the activating metal, 2-oxoglutarate as a co-substrate, and ascorbic acid as a cofactor. Hydroxylase activity can be impaired by the depletion of any of these factors. We found that exposure of cells to nickel(II) or cobalt(II) did not affect the level of intracellular iron. Instead, nickel(II) or cobalt(II) exposure greatly depleted intracellular ascorbate. Co-exposure of cells to metals and ascorbate resulted in the increase of intracellular ascorbate and reversed both metal-induced stabilization of HIF-1alpha and HIF-1-dependent gene transcription. Because ascorbate is essential for maintaining iron in prolyl hydroxylases in the active iron(II) state, we suggest that the observed depletion of ascorbate by nickel(II) or cobalt(II) favors iron oxidation and thus inactivation of the enzyme.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed2004

Identification and characterization of a novel RNA binding protein that associates with the 5'-untranslated region of the chloroplast psbA mRNA.

Binding of proteins to chloroplast-encoded mRNAs has been shown to be an essential part of chloroplast gene expression. Four nuclear-encoded proteins (38, 47, 55, and 60 kDa) have been identified that bind to the 5'-untranslated region of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii psbA mRNA with high affinity and specificity. We have cloned a cDNA that represents the 38 kDa protein (RB38) and show that it encodes a novel RNA binding protein that is primarily localized within the chloroplast stroma. RB38 contains four 70 amino acid repeats with a high percentage of basic amino acids, as well as an amino-terminal extension predicted to act as a chloroplast import sequence. We demonstrate that the 38 kDa precursor protein is imported into isolated chloroplasts and interacts with high specificity to uridine-rich regions within the 5'-untranslated region of the psbA mRNA. While database searches have identified hypothetical proteins from several other eukaryotic species with high sequence similarity to the deduced amino acid sequence of RB38, no proteins with homology to RB38 have been biochemically characterized. Bioinformatic analysis of the RB38 sequence, together with structure analysis using circular dichroism and protein modeling, suggests that the 70 amino acid repeats within RB38 are similar in fold to previously identified RNA binding motifs, despite limited sequence homology.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2004

Deficiency of carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) reduces lipogenesis as well as glycolysis.

The liver provides for long-term energy needs of the body by converting excess carbohydrate into fat for storage. Insulin is one factor that promotes hepatic lipogenesis, but there is increasing evidence that glucose also contributes to the coordinated regulation of carbohydrate and fat metabolism in liver by mechanisms that are independent of insulin. In this study, we show that the transcription factor, carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP), is required both for basal and carbohydrate-induced expression of several liver enzymes essential for coordinated control of glucose metabolism, fatty acid, and the synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Laurenditerpenol, a new diterpene from the tropical marine alga Laurenciaintricata that potently inhibits HIF-1 mediated hypoxic signaling in breast tumor cells.

The degree of tumor hypoxia correlates with advanced disease stages and treatment resistance. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) promotes tumor cell adaptation and survival under hypoxic conditions. Therefore, specific HIF-1 inhibitors represent an important new class of potential tumor-selective therapeutic agents. A T47D human breast tumor cell-based reporter assay was used to examine extracts of plants and marine organisms for inhibitors of HIF-1 activation. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the lipid extract of the red alga Laurencia intricata yielded a structurally novel diterpene, laurenditerpenol (1). The structure of 1 was determined spectroscopically. The relative configurations of the substituents of each ring system were assigned on the basis of NOESY correlations. The absolute configuration of position C-1 was determined by the modified Mosher ester procedure (directly in NMR tubes). Compound 1 potently inhibited hypoxia-activated HIF-1 (IC50: 0.4 microM) and hypoxia-induced VEGF (a potent angiogenic factor) in T47D cells. Compound 1 selectively inhibits HIF-1 activation by hypoxia but not iron chelator-induced activation. Further, 1 suppresses tumor cell survival under hypoxic conditions without affecting normoxic cell growth. Compound 1 inhibits HIF-1 by blocking the induction of the oxygen-regulated HIF-1alpha protein. Mitochondrial respiration studies revealed that 1 suppresses oxygen consumption.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2003

Structural basis for PAS domain heterodimerization in the basic helix--loop--helix-PAS transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor.

Biological responses to oxygen availability play important roles in development, physiological homeostasis, and many disease processes. In mammalian cells, this adaptation is mediated in part by a conserved pathway centered on the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF is a heterodimeric protein complex composed of two members of the basic helix-loop-helix Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) (ARNT, aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator) domain family of transcriptional activators, HIFalpha and ARNT. Although this complex involves protein-protein interactions mediated by basic helix-loop-helix and PAS domains in both proteins, the role played by the PAS domains is poorly understood. To address this issue, we have studied the structure and interactions of the C-terminal PAS domain of human HIF-2alpha by NMR spectroscopy. We demonstrate that HIF-2alpha PAS-B binds the analogous ARNT domain in vitro, showing that residues involved in this interaction are located on the solvent-exposed side of the HIF-2alpha central beta-sheet. Mutating residues at this surface not only disrupts the interaction between isolated PAS domains in vitro but also interferes with the ability of full-length HIF to respond to hypoxia in living cells. Extending our findings to other PAS domains, we find that this beta-sheet interface is widely used for both intra- and intermolecular interactions, suggesting a basis of specificity and regulation of many types of PAS-containing signaling proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Structure of factor-inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor 1: An asparaginyl hydroxylase involved in the hypoxic response pathway.

Precise regulation of the evolutionarily conserved hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF) ensures proper adaptation to variations in oxygen availability throughout development and into adulthood. Oxygen-dependent regulation of HIF stability and activity are mediated by hydroxylation of conserved proline and asparagine residues, respectively. Because the relevant prolyl and asparginyl hydroxylases use O(2) to effect these posttranslational modifications, these enzymes are implicated as direct oxygen sensors in the mammalian hypoxic response pathway. Here we present the structure of factor-inhibiting HIF-1 (FIH-1), the pertinent asparaginyl hydroxylase involved in hypoxic signaling. Hydroxylation of the C-terminal transactivation domain (CTAD) of HIF by FIH-1 prevents CTAD association with transcriptional coactivators under normoxic conditions. Consistent with other structurally known hydroxylases, FIH-1 is comprised of a beta-strand jellyroll core with both Fe(II) and the cosubstrate 2-oxoglutarate bound in the active site. Details of the molecular contacts at the active site of FIH-1 have been elucidated and provide a platform for future drug design. Furthermore, the structure reveals the presence of a FIH-1 homodimer that forms in solution and is essential for FIH activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

FIH-1 is an asparaginyl hydroxylase enzyme that regulates the transcriptional activity of hypoxia-inducible factor.

Mammalian cells adapt to hypoxic conditions through a transcriptional response pathway mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor, HIF. HIF transcriptional activity is suppressed under normoxic conditions by hydroxylation of an asparagine residue within its C-terminal transactivation domain, blocking association with coactivators. Here we show that the protein FIH-1, previously shown to interact with HIF, is an asparaginyl hydroxylase. Like known hydroxylase enzymes, FIH-1 is an Fe(II)-dependent enzyme that uses molecular O(2) to modify its substrate. Together with the recently discovered prolyl hydroxylases that regulate HIF stability, this class of oxygen-dependent enzymes comprises critical regulatory components of the hypoxic response pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗