Translational induction of VEGF internal ribosome entry site elements during the early response to ischemic stress

Circ Res. 2007 Feb 16;100(3):305-8. doi: 10.1161/01.RES.0000258873.08041.c9. Epub 2007 Jan 25.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF), a powerful factor involved in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, is translationally regulated through 2 independent internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs A and B). IRESs enable an mRNA to be translated under conditions in which 5'-cap-dependent translation is inhibited, such as low oxygen stress. In the VEGF mRNA, IRES A influences translation at the canonical AUG codon, whereas the 5' IRES B element regulates initiation at an upstream, in frame CUG. In this study, we have developed transgenic mice expressing reporter genes under the control of these 2 IRESs. We reveal that although these IRESs display low activity in embryos and adult tissues, they permit efficient translation at early time points in ischemic muscle, a stress under which cap-dependent translation is inhibited. These results demonstrate the in vivo efficacy of the VEGF IRESs in response to a local environmental stress such as hypoxia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 5' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • 5' Untranslated Regions / physiology*
  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Codon, Initiator*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hindlimb / blood supply*
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / genetics*
  • Ischemia / metabolism
  • L Cells
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscle, Skeletal / blood supply*
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / physiology
  • Organ Specificity
  • Protein Biosynthesis*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Species Specificity
  • Stress, Physiological / genetics
  • Stress, Physiological / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / biosynthesis*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics*

Substances

  • 5' Untranslated Regions
  • Codon, Initiator
  • RNA, Messenger
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse