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Cloning of miniature pig HIF-1alpha and its responses to immunosuppressive agents
Kyung-Eun Kim1, Yu-Jung Jung, Shan Hua Li
1Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Miniature pigs are worth notice as candidate donors for xenotransplantation. However, donor organs are inevitably subjected to hypoxia, which causes vascular endothelial dysfunction. In this respect, hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha), the key factor for hypoxic adaptation, should be expressed in grafts. However, some immunosuppressive drugs have been reported to suppress HIF-1alpha in rat cells. Here, we first identified the cDNA and protein structures of miniature pig HIF-1alpha, and next investigated the effects of cyclosporine and FK506 on HIF-1alpha expression in endothelial cells of miniature pig. Thus, we conclude that FK506, rather than cyclosporine, may be recommended for xenotransplantation using miniature pig organs.
Miniature pigs are worth notice as candidate donors for xenotransplantation. However, donor organs are inevitably subjected to hypoxia, which causes vascular endothelial dysfunction. In this respect, hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha), the key factor for hypoxic adaptation, should be expressed in grafts. However, some immunosuppressive drugs have been reported to suppress HIF-1alpha in rat cells. Here, we first identified the cDNA and protein structures of miniature pig HIF-1alpha, and next investigated the effects of cyclosporine and FK506 on HIF-1alpha expression in endothelial cells of miniature pig. Thus, we conclude that FK506, rather than cyclosporine, may be recommended for xenotransplantation using miniature pig organs.
