Hypoxia-induced USP22-BMI1 axis promotes the stemness and malignancy of glioma stem cells via regulation of HIF-1α

This study intends to investigate the mechanisms of ubiqutin-specific protease 22 (USP22)/B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1) on the biological phenotypes of glioma stem cells (GSCs) under hypoxia.Main methodsWestern blot, Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and flow cytometry assays were preformed to evaluate cells biological behaviors. Luciferase assay was utilized to identify the associations among USP22, HIF-1α and BMI1.Key findingsSilencing USP22 reduced the stemness and proliferation of GSCs, and increased its apoptosis in response to hypoxia. Whilst, overexpression of BMI1 reversed these phenomena. Whilst, a significant decrease in proliferation and stemness of GSCs caused by HIF-1α exhaustion were inversed by overexpression of USP22 or BMI1.SignificanceFunction of USP22-BMI1 on biological behaviors of GSCs was regulated by HIF-1α in response to hypoxia.
Source: Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research