Oxygen as a regulator of MA-10 cell functions: effect of cobalt chloride on vascular endothelial growth factor...

Mammalian testis functions at a temperature and oxygen tension (pO(2)) lower than the core body. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mediates the adaptive responses to hypoxia such as production of angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a variety of cells and tissues. VEGF production in Leydig cells is stimulated by luteinising hormone (LH)/cAMP. We have conducted experiments to find out whether HIF-1α is involved in LH/cAMP-induced secretion of VEGF by Leydig cell-derived MA-10 cells. Both cobalt chloride (CoCl(2)), an inducer of hypoxia, and 8-Br-cAMP enhanced HIF-1α activity followed by an increase in VEGF secretion. However, there was no change in mRNA levels of HIF-1α. Inhibition of HIF-1α activity by cyclosporine A (CsA) inhibited a rise in VEGF production in response to CoCl(2) as well as 8-Br-cAMP. Inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase/Akt (PI3-K/Akt) inhibited the increase in VEGF levels in response to both CoCl(2) and 8-Br-cAMP. The data suggest that HIF-1α is a mediator of hypoxia- as well as 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated production of VEGF in MA-10 cells; both the stimuli act through a common signalling cascade.