Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2025

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress
Published on: October 13, 2019
HIF2α-dependent Dock4/Rac1-signaling regulates formation of adherens junctions and cell polarity in normoxia
I Raykhel1,2, V-P Ronkainen2, J Myllyharju3
1Disease Networks Research Unit, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Abstract:
Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) 1 and 2 regulate similar but distinct sets of target genes. Although HIFs are best known for their roles in mediating the hypoxia response accumulating evidence suggests that under certain conditions HIFs, particularly HIF2, may function also under normoxic conditions. Here we report that HIF2α functions under normoxic conditions in kidney epithelial cells to regulate formation of adherens junctions. HIF2α expression was required to induce Dock4/Rac1/Pak1-signaling mediating stability and compaction of E-cadherin at nascent adherens junctions. Impaired adherens junction formation in HIF2α- or Dock4-deficient cells led to aberrant cyst morphogenesis in 3D kidney epithelial cell cultures. Taken together, we show that HIF2α functions in normoxia to regulate epithelial morphogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Cell Polarization by Rho Proteins
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
Anchoring Junctions
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

