Hypoxia induces phosphorylation of the cyclic AMP response element-binding protein by a novel signaling mechanism

To investigate signaling mechanisms by which hypoxia regulates gene expression, we examined the effect of hypoxia on the cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in PC12 cells. Exposure to physiological levels of hypoxia (5% O2, approximately 50 mm Hg) rapidly induced a persistent phosphorylation of CREB on Ser133, an event that is required for CREB-mediated transcriptional activation. Hypoxia-induced phosphorylation of CREB was more robust than that induced by any other stimulus tested, including forskolin, depolarization, and osmotic stress. Furthermore, this effect was not mediated by any of the previously known signaling pathways that lead to phosphorylation of CREB, including protein kinase A, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, ribosomal S6 kinase-2, and mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2. Hypoxic activation of a CRE-containing reporter (derived from the 5'-flanking region of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene) was attenuated markedly by mutation of the CRE. Thus, a physiological reduction in O2 levels induces a functional phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133 via a novel signaling pathway.