The major anoxic stress response protein p34 is a distinct lactate dehydrogenase

Anoxic stress is a common physiological stress, but one with unusual and significant consequences. Anoxic stress results in efficient induction of gene amplification and also plays a controlling role in the production of angiogenesis factor by macrophages. Within tumor masses, cancer cells continue to proliferate under oxygen tensions substantially lower than seen in normal tissues. The molecular basis of the anoxic stress response has not been well characterized. The major anoxic stress protein in subconfluent cell cultures is a 34-kilodalton polypeptide which has been variously reported to be either a new isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) or the conventional muscle-type lactate dehydrogenase. This protein is of particular interest since it is also found expressed at high levels in many human cancers and has been demonstrated to be an effective serum cancer marker. We have developed an affinity chromatography procedure for purification of the anoxic stress protein p34 which effectively separates this protein from LDH-5 as well as other standard LDH isozymes. Anoxic stress protein p34 was found to specifically interact with flavins and the cellular alarmone guanosine(5')tetraphospho(5')guanosine, and also to interact with certain nucleic acids. The properties of this protein suggest that its overall role in the anoxic stress response may be in the coordination of a number of cellular systems.