Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) regulate the transcription of genes that mediate the response to hypoxia. HIFs are constantly expressed and degraded under normoxia, but stabilized under hypoxia. HIFs have been widely studied in physiological and pathological conditions and have been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of various vascular diseases. In clinical settings, the HIF pathway has been studied for its role in inhibiting carcinogenesis. HIFs might also play a protective role in the pathology of ischemic diseases. Clinical trials of therapeutic angiogenesis after the administration of a single growth factor have yielded unsatisfactory or controversial results, possibly because the coordinated activity of different HIF-induced factors is necessary to induce mature vessel formation. Thus, manipulation of HIF activity to simultaneously induce a spectrum of angiogenic factors offers a superior strategy for therapeutic angiogenesis. Because HIF-2α plays an essential role in vascular remodeling, manipulation of HIF-2α is a promising approach to the treatment of ischemic diseases caused by arterial obstruction, where insufficient development of collateral vessels impedes effective therapy. eIF3e/INT6 interacts specifically with HIF-2α and induces the proteasome inhibitor-sensitive degradation of HIF-2α, independent of hypoxia and VHL. Treatment with eIF3e/INT6 siRNA stabilizes HIF-2α activity even under normoxic conditions and induces the expression of several angiogenic factors, at levels sufficient to produce functional arteries and veins in vivo. We have demonstrated that administration of eIF3e/INT6 siRNA to ischemic limbs or cold-injured brains reduces ischemic damage in animal models. This review summarizes the current understanding of the relationship between HIFs and vascular diseases. We also discuss novel oxygen-independent regulatory proteins that bind HIF-α and the implications of a new method for therapeutic angiogenesis using HIF stabilizers.

The mechanisms that regulate angiogenesis in hypoxia or hypoxic microenvironment are modulated by several pro- and antiangiogenic factors. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) have been established as the basic and major inducers of angiogenesis, but understanding the role of interacting proteins is becoming increasingly important to elucidate the angiogenic processes of a hypoxic response. In particular, with regard to wound healing and the novel therapies for vascular disorders such as ischemic brain and heart attack, it is essential to gain insights in the formation and regulation of HIF transcriptional machineries related to angiogenesis. Further, identification of alternative ways of inhibiting tumor growth by disrupting the growth-triggering mechanisms of increasing vascular supply via angiogenesis depends on the knowledge of how tumor cells develop their own vasculature. Here, we review our findings on the interactions of basic HIFs, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, with their regulatory binding proteins, histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) and translation initiation factor 6 (Int6), respectively. The present results and discussion revealed new regulatory interactions of HIF-related mechanisms.

Wnt/β-catenin is involved in every aspect of embryonic development and in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, and is also implicated in organ fibrosis. However, the role of β-catenin-mediated signaling on liver fibrosis remains unclear. To explore this issue, the effects of PRI-724, a selective inhibitor of the cAMP-response element-binding protein-binding protein (CBP)/β-catenin interaction, on liver fibrosis were examined using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)- or bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced mouse liver fibrosis models. Following repetitive CCl4 administrations, the nuclear translocation of β-catenin was observed only in the non-parenchymal cells in the liver. PRI-724 treatment reduced the fibrosis induced by CCl4 or BDL. C-82, an active form of PRI-724, inhibited the activation of isolated primary mouse quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and promoted cell death in culture-activated HSCs. During the fibrosis resolution period, an increase in F4/80(+) CD11b(+) and Ly6C(low) CD11b(+) macrophages was induced by CCl4 and was sustained for two weeks thereafter, even after having stopped CCl4 treatment. PRI-724 accelerated the resolution of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis, and this was accompanied by increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-2, and MMP-8 expression in intrahepatic leukocytes. In conclusion, targeting the CBP/β-catenin interaction may become a new therapeutic strategy in treating liver fibrosis.

Background— We previously identified INT6/eIF3e as a novel regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α) activity. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)–Int6 adequately stabilized HIF2α, even under normoxic conditions, and thereby enhanced the expression of several angiogenic factors in vitro, suggesting that siRNA-Int6 may induce angiogenesis in vivo. Methods and Results— We demonstrated a 6- to 8-fold enhanced formation of normal arteries and veins in the subcutaneous regions of adult mice 5 days after a single siRNA-Int6 application. Subcutaneous fibroblasts were identified as the major source of secreted angiogenic factors that led to the formation of functional vessels during Int 6 silencing. Fibroblasts transfected ex vivo with siRNA-Int6 induced potent neoangiogenesis when transplanted into a subcutaneous region of nude mice. Application of siRNA-Int6 promoted neoangiogenesis in the area surrounding the injury in wound healing models, including genetically diabetic mice, thereby accelerating the closure of the injury. HIF2α accumulation caused by siRNA-Int6 was confirmed as the unequivocal cause of the angiogenesis by an in vivo angiogenesis assay. Further analysis of the Int 6 silencing–induced neoangiogenesis revealed that a negative feedback regulation of HIF2α stability was caused by HIF2α-induced transcription of Int6 via hypoxia-response elements in its promoter. Thus, siRNA-Int6 temporarily facilitates an accumulation of HIF2α protein, leading to hypoxia-independent transcription of angiogenic factors and concomitant neoangiogenesis. Conclusions— We suggest that the pathway involving INT6/HIF2α acts as a hypoxia-independent master switch of functional angiogenesis; therefore, siRNA-Int6 application might be of clinical value in treating ischemic diseases such as heart and brain ischemia, skin injury, and diseases involving obstructed vessels.

Mammalian eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) is the largest complex of the translation initiation factors. The eIF3 complex is comprised of thirteen subunits, which are named eIF3a to eIF3 m in most multicellular organisms. The eIF3e gene locus is one of the most frequent integration sites of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), which induces mammary tumors in mice. MMTV‐integration events result in the expression of C‐terminal‐truncated eIF3e proteins, leading to mammary tumor formation. We have shown that tumor formation can be partly caused by activation of hypoxia‐inducible factor 2α. To investigate the function of eIF3e in mammals, we generated eIF3e‐deficient mice. These eIF3e^−/− mice are embryonically lethal, while eIF3e^+/− mice are much smaller than wild‐type mice. In addition, eIF3e^+/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) contained reduced levels of eIF3a and eIF3c subunits and exhibited reduced cellular proliferation. These results suggest that eIF3e is essential for embryonic development in mice and plays a role in maintaining eIF3 integrity.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 strain pose a pandemic threat. H5N1 strain virus is extremely lethal and contagious for poultry. Even though mortality is 59% in infected humans, these viruses do not spread efficiently between humans. In 1997, an outbreak of H5N1 strain with human cases occurred in Hong Kong. This event highlighted the need for rapid identification and subtyping of influenza A viruses (IAV), not only to facilitate surveillance of the pandemic potential of avian IAV, but also to improve the control and treatment of infected patients. Molecular diagnosis has played a key role in the detection and typing of IAV in recent years, spurred by rapid advances in technologies for detection and characterization of viral RNAs and proteins. Such technologies, which include immunochromatography, quantitative real-time PCR, super high-speed real-time PCR, and isothermal DNA amplification, are expected to contribute to faster and easier diagnosis and typing of IAV.