Helicobacter pylori Induces Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production in Gastric Epithelial Cells Through Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α-Dependent Pathway

• Published in: Helicobacter (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2014-12, Vol.19 (6), p.476-483
• Main Authors: Kang, Min-Jung, Song, Eun-Jung, Kim, Bo-Yeon, Kim, Dong-Jae, Park, Jong-Hwan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterial Secretion Systems; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - microbiology; Helicobacter Infections - genetics; Helicobacter Infections - metabolism; Helicobacter Infections - microbiology; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - genetics; Helicobacter pylori - physiology; Humans; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit - genetics; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit - metabolism; Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Reactive oxygen species; Signal Transduction; Stomach - cytology; Stomach - metabolism; Stomach - microbiology; Type IV secretion system; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - genetics; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism
• ISSN: 1083-4389; 1523-5378
• DOI: 10.1111/hel.12169

Background Although Helicobacter pylori have been known to induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production in gastric epithelial cells, the precise mechanism for cellular signaling is incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the role of bacterial virulence factor and host cellular signaling in VEGF production of H. pylori‐infected gastric epithelial cells. Materials and methods We evaluated production of VEGF, activation of nuclear factor nuclear factor‐kappaB (NF‐κB) and mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) stabilization in gastric epithelial cells infected with H. pylori WT or isogenic mutants deficient in type IV secretion system (T4SS). Results H. pylori induced VEGF production in gastric epithelial cells via both T4SS‐dependent and T4SS‐independent pathways, although T4SS‐independent pathway seems to be the dominant signaling. The inhibitor assay implicated that activation of NF‐κB and MAPKs is dispensable for H. pylori‐induced VEGF production in gastric epithelial cells. H. pylori led to HIF‐1α stabilization in gastric epithelial cells independently of T4SS, NF‐κB, and MAPKs, which was essential for VEGF production in these cells. N‐acetyl‐cysteine (NAC), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor, treatment impaired H. pylori‐induced HIF‐1α stabilization and VEGF production in gastric epithelial cells. Conclusion We defined the important role of ROS‐HIF‐1α axis in VEGF production of H. pylori‐infected gastric epithelial cells, and bacterial T4SS has a minor role in H. pylori‐induced VEGF production of gastric epithelial cells.