Hypoxia protects H9c2 cells against Ferroptosis through SENP1-mediated protein DeSUMOylation

Int J Med Sci. 2021 Feb 4;18(7):1618-1627. doi: 10.7150/ijms.50804. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Hypoxia affects proliferation, differentiation, as well as death of cardiomyocyte, and plays an important role in the development of myocardial ischemia. However, the detailed mechanisms through which hypoxia regulates cardiomyocyte ferroptosis have not been explored. In this study, we revealed that hypoxia suppresses the proliferation, migration, and erastin-induced ferroptosis of H9c2 cells. First, we confirmed the upregulation of SENP1 in H9c2 cells cultured under hypoxic conditions. Through adenovirus-mediated SENP1 gene transfection, we demonstrated that SENP1 overexpression could enhance H9c2 cell proliferation and migration while also protecting H9c2 cells from erastin-induced ferroptosis. Furthermore, through immunoprecipitation and western blotting, we confirmed that SENP1 mediated deSUMOylation of HIF-1α and ACSL4 in H9c2 cells. In conclusion, this study describes the underlying mechanism through which hypoxia upregulates SENP1 expression, in turn protecting against ferroptosis via the regulation of HIF-1α and ACSL4 deSUMOylation. Our findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of novel therapeutics for ischemic heart diseases.

Keywords: Ferroptosis; Hypoxia; SENP1.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Hypoxia / genetics*
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Coenzyme A Ligases / metabolism
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Ferroptosis / drug effects
  • Ferroptosis / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Myocardial Ischemia / pathology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / pathology*
  • Piperazines / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Sumoylation / genetics
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Hif1a protein, rat
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Piperazines
  • erastin
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • SENP1 protein, rat
  • Acsl4 protein, rat
  • Coenzyme A Ligases