Phosphorylation of seryl-tRNA synthetase by ATM/ATR is essential for hypoxia-induced angiogenesis

PLoS Biol. 2020 Dec 22;18(12):e3000991. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000991. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Hypoxia-induced angiogenesis maintains tissue oxygen supply and protects against ischemia but also enhances tumor progression and malignancy. This is mediated through activation of transcription factors like hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and c-Myc, yet the impact of hypoxia on negative regulators of angiogenesis is unknown. During vascular development, seryl-tRNA synthetase (SerRS) regulates angiogenesis through a novel mechanism by counteracting c-Myc and transcriptionally repressing vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) expression. Here, we reveal that the transcriptional repressor role of SerRS is inactivated under hypoxia through phosphorylation by ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia telangiectasia mutated and RAD3-related (ATR) at Ser101 and Ser241 to attenuate its DNA binding capacity. In zebrafish, SerRSS101D/S241D, a phosphorylation-mimicry mutant, cannot suppress VEGFA expression to support normal vascular development. Moreover, expression of SerRSS101A/S241A, a phosphorylation-deficient and constitutively active mutant, prevents hypoxia-induced binding of c-Myc and HIF-1 to the VEGFA promoter, and activation of VEGFA expression. Consistently, SerRSS101A/S241A strongly inhibits normal and tumor-derived angiogenesis in mice. Therefore, we reveal a key step regulating hypoxic angiogenesis and highlight the importance of nuclear SerRS in post-developmental angiogenesis regulation in addition to vascular development. The role of nuclear SerRS in inhibiting both c-Myc and HIF-1 may provide therapeutic opportunities to correct dysregulation of angiogenesis in pathological settings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia / genetics
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins / genetics
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / metabolism
  • Hypoxia / physiopathology
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Serine-tRNA Ligase / metabolism*
  • Serine-tRNA Ligase / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / methods
  • Zebrafish / metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inducing Agents
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Transcription Factors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • ATM protein, human
  • ATR protein, human
  • ATR protein, zebrafish
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins
  • Serine-tRNA Ligase