Double Knockdown of PHD1 and Keap1 Attenuated Hypoxia-Induced Injuries in Hepatocytes

Background and Aims: Hypoxia and oxidative stress contribute toward liver fibrosis. In this experiment, we used small hairpin RNA (shRNA) to interfere with the intracellular oxygen sensor-prolyl hydroxylase 1 (PHD1) and the intracellular oxidative stress sensor-kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap1) in the hypoxic hepatocytes in order to investigate the function of PHD1and Keap1. Methods: We first established the CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis model, subsequently, the levels of the PHD1, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α), Keap1, and nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were detected in liver tissues. Simultaneously, AML12 cells co-transfected with PHD1 and Keap1shRNAs were constructed in vitro, then the intracellular oxidative stress, the proportion of cells undergoing apoptosis, and cell viability were measured. The expression of pro-fibrogenic molecules were analyzed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot. The level of alpha-1 type I collagen (COL1A1) was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, serum-free "conditioned medium" (CM) from the supernatant of hypoxic AML12 hepatocytes was used to culture rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6), and the levels of fibrosis-related molecules, apoptosis, and cell proliferation were determined. Results: The marker of hypoxia-HIF-1α and HIF-2α in the livers with fibrosis were upregulated, however, the increase in PHD1 expression was not statistically significant in comparison to the control group. Sign of oxidative stress-Keap1 was increased, while the expression of Nrf2, one of the Keap1 main downstream molecules, was reduced in the hepatocytes. And in vitro, the double-knockdown of PHD1 and Keap1 in AML12 hepatocytes presented with decreased hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis, furthermore, these hypoxic AML12 cells showed the increased cell viability and the doweregulated expression of pro-fibrogenic molecules. In addition, HSC-T6 cells cultured in the hypoxic double-knockdown CM demonstrated the downregulation of fibrosis-related molecules, diminished cell proliferation, and enhanced apoptosis. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that double-knockdown of PHD1 and Keap1 attenuated hypoxia and oxidative stress induced injury in the hepatocytes, and subsequently inhibited HSC activation, which offers a novel therapeutic strategy in the prophylaxis and treatment of liver fibrosis.