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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
09:04

A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Published on: March 15, 2016

Basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor DEC2 negatively regulates vascular endothelial growth factor

Fuyuki Sato1, Ujjal Kumar Bhawal, Takeshi Kawamoto

  • 1Department of Pathology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan. fsato@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp

Genes to Cells : Devoted to Molecular & Cellular Mechanisms
|February 1, 2008
PubMed

Insights

DEC2, a transcription factor, suppresses vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under hypoxia by interacting with HIF-1alpha. This finding is crucial for understanding VEGF

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Gene Regulation

Background:

  • DEC1 and DEC2 are bHLH transcription factors involved in cellular processes.
  • Hypoxia up-regulates DEC1 and DEC2 expression, but their functions remain unclear.
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) expression is hypoxia-inducible via HIF-1alpha and ARNT1.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the functions of DEC1 and DEC2 under hypoxic conditions.
  • To investigate the role of DEC2 in regulating VEGF gene expression.
  • To determine the interaction between DEC2, HIF-1alpha, and VEGF regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Co-immunoprecipitation assays to assess protein interactions.
  • Analysis of VEGF promoter activity and HIF-1alpha binding under varying DEC2 expression levels.
  • Investigation of circadian expression patterns of DEC2 and VEGF in cartilage and tumor cells.

Main Results:

  • DEC2, but not DEC1, suppressed VEGF gene expression under hypoxia.
  • DEC2 protein co-immunoprecipitated with HIF-1alpha, but not ARNT1.
  • DEC2 overexpression decreased HIF-1alpha binding to the VEGF promoter's HRE, while knockdown increased it.
  • Circadian expression of VEGF was inversely correlated with DEC2 in cartilage.
  • DEC2 exhibited circadian oscillation in Sarcoma 180 cells.

Conclusions:

  • DEC2 acts as a negative regulator of VEGF expression.
  • DEC2 plays a significant role in pathological conditions involving VEGF.
  • The interaction between DEC2 and HIF-1alpha is critical for controlling VEGF levels during hypoxia.

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