Nuclear-translocated endostatin downregulates hypoxia inducible factor-1α activation through interfering with Zn(II) homeostasis.

Hypoxia‑inducible factor‑1α (HIF‑1α) is key in tumor progression and aggressiveness as it regulates a series of genes involved in angiogenesis and anaerobic metabolism. Previous studies have shown that the transcriptional levels of HIF‑1α may be downregulated by endostatin. However, the molecular mechanism by which endostatin represses HIF‑1α expression remains unknown. The current study investigated the mechanism by which nuclear‑translocated endostatin suppresses HIF‑1α activation by disrupting Zn(II) homeostasis. Endostatin was observed to downregulate HIF‑1α expression at mRNA and protein levels. Blockage of endostatin nuclear translocation by RNA interference of importin α1/β1 or ectopic expression of NLS‑deficient mutant nucleolin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells co‑transfected with small interfering (si)‑nucleolin siRNA compromises endostatin‑reduced HIF‑1α expression. Nuclear‑translocated apo‑endostatin, but not holo‑endostatin, significantly disrupts the interaction between CBP/p300 and HIF‑1α by disturbing Zn(II) homeostasis, which leads to the transcriptional inactivation of HIF‑1α. The results reveal mechanistic insights into the method by which nuclear‑translocated endostatin downregulates HIF‑1α activation and provides a novel way to investigate the function of endostatin in endothelial cells.