Abstract
Self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) has been proposed to be influenced by low oxygen tension (hypoxia). This signaling, related to the cellular localization inside the bone marrow niche and/or influenced by extrinsic factors, promotes the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Whether HIF-1α can be used as a therapeutic target in the treatment of myeloid malignancies remains unknown. We have used 3 different murine models to investigate the role of HIF-1α in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) initiation/progression and self-renewal of LICs. Unexpectedly, we failed to observe a delay or prevention of disease development from hematopoietic cells lacking Hif-1α. In contrast, deletion of Hif-1α resulted in faster development of the disease and an enhanced leukemia phenotype in some of the investigated models. Our results therefore warrant reconsideration of the role of HIF-1α and, as a consequence, question its generic therapeutic usefulness in AML.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Blood |
Volume | 124 |
Issue number | 24 |
Pages (from-to) | 3597-607 |
Number of pages | 11 |
ISSN | 0006-4971 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 4 Dec 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Animals
- Gene Deletion
- Genes, Tumor Suppressor
- Hematopoietic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neoplasms, Experimental/genetics
- Tumor Suppressor Proteins/genetics