• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.331-336
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• 2010

In rapidly growing tumors, hypoxia commonly develops due to the imbalance between $O_2$ consumption and supply. Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)-$1{\alpha}$ is a transcription factor responsible for tumor growth and angiogenesis in the hypoxic microenvironment; thus, its inhibition is regarded as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Given that CamKII or PARP inhibitors are emerging anticancer agents, we investigated if they have the potential to be developed as new HIF-$1{\alpha}$-targeting drugs. When treating various cancer cells with the inhibitors, we found that a CamKII inhibitor, KN-62, effectively suppressed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ specifically in hepatoma cells. To examine the effect of KN-62 on HIF-$1{\alpha}$-driven gene expression, we analyzed the EPO-enhancer reporter activity and mRNA levels of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ downstream genes, such as EPO, LOX and CA9. Both the reporter activity and the mRNA expression were repressed by KN-62. We also found that KN-62 suppressed HIF-$1{\alpha}$ by impairing synthesis of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ protein. Based on these results, we propose that KN-62 is a candidate as a HIF-$1{\alpha}$-targeting anticancer agent.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.161-166
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• 2022

HIF-2α is a transcription factor activated mainly in hypoxic condition known to play crucial roles in a wide variety of pathophysiological events including cancer, metabolic syndrome, arthritis etc. In this context, a number of N'-aryl isonicotinolyhydrazides, in which known pharmacophores are included, have been selected from commercial chemical library and tested for the inhibitory activities targeting HIF-2α in cultured HTB94 cell. HRE-luciferase and HIF-2α were introduced into the cell by transfection and adenoviri infection, respectively and the reporter gene assay discovered the potency of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl structure. Accordingly, the scaffold has been adjusted based on this structure and subjected to anti-HIF-2α activity test, identifying 2 compounds as HIF-2α inhibitors. The activities were confirmed by false positive test. This study has been performed via the convergence of biology and chemistry and the results may be useful for discovering novel inhibitors and HIF-2α biology studies, and contribute to the development of therapeutic agents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.55-74
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• 2008

Previously, we have shown that hypoxia, through HIF-1, induces ligand-independent $ER{\alpha}$ activation and the physical interaction of HIF-1 and $ER{\alpha}$. However, the effect of hypoxia on the transactivation of $ER{\beta}$ is not yet known. In the present study, we found that hypoxia activated the $ER{\beta}$-mediated transcriptional response in the HEK 293 cell line, as determined by the transient expression of$ER{\beta}$ and ER-responsive reporter plasmids. The hypoxia-induced estrogen response element-mediated transcriptional response was dependent on $ER{\beta}$ expression and was inhibited by the ER antagonist ICI 182,780. Transactivation of $ER{\beta}$ was induced by the expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ under normoxic conditions, as determined by the expression of oxygen-independent stable GFP-HIF-$1{\alpha}$. HIF-$1{\alpha}$-induced $ER{\beta}$ transactivation was abolished by the inhibition of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ activation. This was determined by using chemical inhibitors for the MAPK pathway. In addition, HIF-$1{\alpha}$ interacted with $ER{\beta}$ in a mammalian-two hybrid assay. We conclude that hypoxia activates $ER{\beta}$ in a ligand-independent manner, possibly through the interaction of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.280-285
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• 2012

The developing embryo naturally experiences relatively low oxygen conditions in vivo. Under in vitro hypoxia, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) lose their self-renewal activity and display an early differentiated morphology mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$). Previously, we demonstrated that histone deacetylase (HDAC) is activated by hypoxia and increases the protein stability and transcriptional activity of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ in many human cancer cells. Furthermore HDAC1 and 3 mediate the differentiation of mECSs and hematopoietic stem cells. However, the role of HDACs and their inhibitors in hypoxia-induced early differentiation of mESCs remains largely unknown. Here, we examined the effects of several histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) on the self-renewal properties of mESCs under hypoxia. Inhibition of HDAC under hypoxia effectively decreased the HIF-$1{\alpha}$ protein levels and substantially improved the expression of the LIF-specific receptor (LIFR) and phosphorylated-STAT3 in mESCs. In particular, valproic acid (VPA), a pan HDACI, showed dramatic changes in HIF-$1{\alpha}$ protein levels and LIFR protein expression levels compared to other HDACIs, including sodium butyrate (SB), trichostatin A (TSA), and apicidin (AP). Importantly, our RT-PCR data and alkaline phosphatase assays indicate that VPA helps to maintain the self-renewal activity of mESCs under hypoxia. Taken together, these results suggest that VPA may block the early differentiation of mESCs under hypoxia via the destabilization of HIF-$1{\alpha}$.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.36-47
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• 2019

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 ($HIF-1{\alpha}$) is a transcription factor activated in response to low oxygen level, and is highly expressed in many solid tumors. Moreover, $HIF-1{\alpha}$ is a representative biomarker of hypoxia and also helps to maintain cell homeostasis under hypoxic condition. Most solid tumors show hypoxia, which induces poor prognosis and resistance to conventional cancer therapies. Thus, early diagnosis of hypoxia with positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer would be highly beneficial for management of malignant solid tumors with effective cancer therapy. YC-1 is a most promising candidate among several $HIF-1{\alpha}$ inhibitors. As an effort to develop a hypoxia imaging tool as a PET radiotracer, we designed and synthesized [$^{18}F$]DFYC based on potent derivative of YC-1 and performed preliminary in vitro cell uptake study. [$^{18}F$]DFYC showed a significant accumulation in SKBR-3 cells among other cancer cells, proving as a good lead to develop a hypoxic solid tumor such as breast cancer.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2008

Studies on hypoxia-signaling pathways have revealed novel Fe(II) and $\alpha$-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases that hydroxylate prolyl or asparaginyl residues of a transactivator, Hypoxia-Inducible $Factor-\alpha(HIF-\alpha)$ protein. The recognition of these unprecedented dioxygenases has led to open a new paradigm that the hydroxylation mediates an instant post-translational modification of a protein in response to the changes in cellular concentrations of oxygen, reducing agents, or $\alpha$-ketoglutarate. Activity of $HIF-\alpha$ is repressed by two hydroxylases. One is $HIF-\alpha$ specific prolyl-hydroxylases, referred as prolyl-hydroxylase domain(PHD). The other is $HIF-\alpha$ specific asparaginyl-hydroxylase, referred as factor-inhibiting HIF-1(FIH-1). The facts (i) that many dioxygenases commonly use molecular oxygen and reducing agents during detoxification of xenobiotics, (ii) that detoxification reaction produces radicals and reactive oxygen species, and (iii) that activities of both PHD and FIH-1 are regulated by the changes in the balance between oxygen species and reducing agents, imply the possibility that the activity of $HIF-\alpha$ can be increased during detoxification process. The importance of $HIF-\alpha$ in cancer and ischemic diseases has been emphasized since its target genes mediate various hypoxic responses including angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, glycolysis, pH balance, metastasis, invasion and cell survival. Therefore, activators of PHDs and FIH-1 can be potential anticancer drugs which could reduce the activity of HIF, whereas inhibitors, for preventing ischemic diseases. This review highlights these novel dioxygenases, PHDs and FIH-1 as specific target against not only cancers but also ischemic diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2023

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has a markedly improved prognosis with the use of breakpoint cluster region-abelson 1 (BCR-ABL1) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BCR-ABL1 TKIs). However, approximately 40% of patients are resistant or intolerant to BCR-ABL1 TKIs. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is a hypoxia response factor that has been reported to be highly expressed in CML patients, making it a therapeutic target for BCR-ABL1 TKI-sensitive CML and BCR-ABL1 TKI-resistant CML. In this study, we examined whether HIF-1α inhibitors induce cell death in CML cells and BCR-ABL1 TKI-resistant CML cells. We found that echinomycin and PX-478 induced cell death in BCR-ABL1 TKIs sensitive and resistant CML cells at similar concentrations while the cell sensitivity was not affected with imatinib or dasatinib in BCR-ABL1 TKIs resistant CML cells. In addition, echinomycin and PX-478 inhibited the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Akt, and extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation via suppression of BCR-ABL1 and Met expression in BCR-ABL1 sensitive and resistant CML cells. Moreover, treatment with HIF-1α siRNA induced cell death by inhibiting BCR-ABL1 and Met expression and activation of JNK, Akt, and ERK1/2 in BCR-ABL1 TKIs sensitive and resistant CML cells. These results indicated that HIF-1α regulates BCR-ABL and Met expression and is involved in cell survival in CML cells, suggesting that HIF-1α inhibitors induce cell death in BCR-ABL1 TKIs sensitive and resistant CML cells and therefore HIF-1α inhibitors are potential candidates for CML treatment.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.487-493
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• 2018

Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), a cell surface receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA), is involved in aggressive cancer phenotypes. Herein, we investigated the role of the CD44 standard isoform (CD44s) in hypoxia-inducible $factor-1{\alpha}$ ($HIF-1{\alpha}$) regulation using MCF7 overexpressing CD44s (pCD44s-MCF7). When pCD44s-MCF7 was incubated under hypoxia, levels of $HIF-1{\alpha}$, vascular endothelial growth factor, and the $HIF-1{\alpha}$ response element-derived luciferase activity were significantly increased compared to those in the control MCF7. Incubation of pCD44s-MCF7 cells with HA further increased $HIF-1{\alpha}$ accumulation, and the silencing of CD44s attenuated $HIF-1{\alpha}$ elevation, which verifies the role of CD44s in $HIF-1{\alpha}$ regulation. In addition, the levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was higher in hypoxic pCD44s-MCF7 cells, and $HIF-1{\alpha}$ accumulation was diminished by the pharmacological inhibitors of ERK. CD44s-mediated $HIF-1{\alpha}$ augmentation resulted in two functional outcomes. First, pCD44s-MCF7 cells showed facilitated cell motility under hypoxia via the upregulation of proteins associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, such as SNAIL1 and ZEB1. Second, pCD44s-MCF7 cells exhibited higher levels of glycolytic proteins, such as glucose transporter-1, and produced higher levels of lactate under hypoxa. As a consequence of the enhanced glycolytic adaptation to hypoxia, pCD44s-MCF7 cells exhibited a higher rate of cell survival under hypoxia than that of the control MCF7, and glucose deprivation abolished these differential responses of the two cell lines. Taken together, these results suggest that CD44s activates hypoxia-inducible $HIF-1{\alpha}$ signaling via ERK pathway, and the $CD44s-ERK-HIF-1{\alpha}$ pathway is involved in facilitated cancer cell viability and motility under hypoxic conditions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3826-3829
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• 2010

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.2039-2042
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• 2010