Unraveling the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α in the adaption process of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) to hypoxia: Redundant HIF-dependent regulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor

Hypoxia driven angiogenesis is a prominent feature of tissue regeneration, inflammation and tumor growth and is regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 and -2. The distinct functions of HIFs in the hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and metabolic switch of endothelial cells are still unknown and therefore aim of this study. We investigated the role of HIF-1 and -2 in the adaptation of immortalized human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) to hypoxic conditions (1% O2) in terms of angiogenesis, cytokine secretion, gene expression and ATP/ADP-ratio using shRNA-mediated reduction of the oxygen sensitive α-subunits of either HIF-1 or HIF-2 or the combination of both. Reduction of HIF-1α diminished cellular energy, hypoxia-induced glycolytic gene expression, and angiogenesis not altering pro-angiogenic factors. Reduction of HIF-2α diminished hypoxia-induced pro-angiogenic factors, enhanced anti-angiogenic factors and attenuated angiogenesis not altering glycolytic gene expression. Reduction of both HIFs reduced cell survival, gene expression of glycolytic enzymes and pro-angiogenic factors as compared to the corresponding control. Finally, we identified the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) to be redundantly regulated by HIF-1 and HIF-2 and to be essential in the process of hypoxia-driven angiogenesis. Our results demonstrate a major impact of HIF-1 and HIF-2 on hypoxia-induced angiogenesis indicating distinct but also overlapping functions of HIF-1 and HIF-2. These findings open new possibilities for therapeutic approaches by specifically targeting the HIF-1 and HIF-2 or their target MIF.