Regular articleCardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal pathologyMitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 Is a Key Regulator of Hypoxia-Induced Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression and Vessel Density in Lung

Although mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) is a key deactivator of MAP kinases, known effectors of lung vessel formation, whether it plays a role in the expression of proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hypoxic lung is unknown. We therefore hypothesized that MKP-1 is a crucial modulator of hypoxia-stimulated vessel development by regulating lung VEGF levels. Wild-type MKP-1+/+, heterozygous MKP-1+/−, and deficient MKP-1−/− mice were exposed to sea level (SL), Denver altitude (DA) (1609 m [5280 feet]), and severe high altitude (HYP) (∼5182 m [∼17,000 feet]) for 6 weeks. Hypoxia enhanced phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase, a substrate of MKP-1, as well as α smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression in vessels, respiratory epithelium, and interstitium of phosphatase-deficient lung. αSMA-positive vessel (<50 μm outside diameter) densities were markedly reduced, whereas vessel wall thickness was increased in hypoxic MKP-1−/− lung. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) of all three genotypes were isolated to pinpoint the mechanism involved in hypoxia-induced vascular abnormalities of MKP-1−/− lung. Sustained phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase was observed in MKP-1-null MEFs in response to hypoxia exposure. Although hypoxia up-regulated VEGF levels in MKP-1+/+ MEFs eightfold, only a 70% increase in VEGF expression was observed in MKP-1-deficient cells. Therefore, our data strongly suggest that MKP-1 might be the key regulator of vascular densities through the regulation of VEGF levels in hypoxic lung.