Nontranscriptional role of Hif-1α in activation of γ-secretase and notch signaling in breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: γ-Secretase is composed of four proteins that are obligatory for protease activity: presenilin, nicastrin, Aph1, and Pen-2. Despite the progress toward understanding the function of these individual subunits, there is no information available pertaining to the modulation of γ-secretase in response to environmental changes in cells. Here, we show that hypoxia upregulates γ-secretase activity through a direct interaction with Hif-1α, revealing an unconventional function for Hif-1α as an enzyme subunit, which is distinct from its canonical role as a transcription factor. Moreover, hypoxia-induced cell invasion and metastasis are alleviated by either γ-secretase inhibitors or a dominant-negative Notch coactivator, indicating that γ-secretase/Notch signaling plays an essential role in controlli

SUBMITTER: Villa JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4346175 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature