The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology

<p>This thesis summarizes a research programme on the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and its 2alpha subunit in systemic human physiology. Experiments were performed to assess the role of HIF in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, cardiac anatomy, function and energy metabolis...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Formenti, F
Other Authors: Robbins, PA
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2011
Subjects:
_version_ 1797065034394763264
author Formenti, F
author2 Robbins, PA
author_facet Robbins, PA
Formenti, F
author_sort Formenti, F
collection OXFORD
description <p>This thesis summarizes a research programme on the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and its 2alpha subunit in systemic human physiology. Experiments were performed to assess the role of HIF in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, cardiac anatomy, function and energy metabolism, and in cardiopulmonary physiology. Patients with different genetic mutations affecting the HIF pathway were recruited for each main study.</p> <p>Chapter 1 presents an overview of human physiological responses to hypoxia in a historical perspective, with particular attention to the areas of human physiology that are relevant for the studies presented in the experimental chapters. Chapter 1 also presents a summary of the HIF pathway and the novel findings presented in this thesis.</p> <p>Chapter 2 illustrates the methods used to perform the experiments.</p> <p>Chapter 3 investigates skeletal muscle metabolism, cardiac anatomy, function and energy metabolism in patients with Chuvash polycythaemia, who have mildly elevated levels of HIF, associated with a mutation in von Hippel-Lindau gene, at whole body level. Chapter 3 shows major abnormalities associated with HIF pathway alterations in skeletal muscle energy metabolism, especially in conditions of metabolic stress such as during exercise and digestion of a meal.</p> <p>Chapter 4 shows that patients with Chuvash polycythaemia also have small hearts and reduced cardiac energy levels.</p> <p>Chapter 5 explores cardiopulmonary abnormalities in patients with gain-of-function mutations specifically in HIF-2alpha subunit; these patients are polycythaemic like patients with Chuvash polycythaemia. Observed abnormalities include pulmonary hypertension, elevated heart rate, cardiac output, ventilation, and the increment in pulmonary blood pressure in response to moderate hypoxia.</p> <p>Chapter 6 presents results from experiments in patients with classic von Hippel- Lindau disease, who are not usually polycythaemic. However, some degree of haploinsufficiency was observed in their neutrophils, suggesting a pseudo-hypoxic phenotype. Chapter 6 shows that von Hippel-Lindau disease is not associated with major cardiopulmonary abnormalities.</p> <p>Overall, the research reported in this thesis presents original experimental evidence for the effects of alterations in the HIF pathway on human physiology.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-06T21:22:51Z
format Thesis
id oxford-uuid:421232a5-1bab-4612-a6d4-30bdb35beb7a
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T21:22:51Z
publishDate 2011
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:421232a5-1bab-4612-a6d4-30bdb35beb7a2022-03-26T14:47:19ZThe role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiologyThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:421232a5-1bab-4612-a6d4-30bdb35beb7aPhysiology and anatomyEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2011Formenti, FRobbins, PADorrington, KL<p>This thesis summarizes a research programme on the role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and its 2alpha subunit in systemic human physiology. Experiments were performed to assess the role of HIF in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, cardiac anatomy, function and energy metabolism, and in cardiopulmonary physiology. Patients with different genetic mutations affecting the HIF pathway were recruited for each main study.</p> <p>Chapter 1 presents an overview of human physiological responses to hypoxia in a historical perspective, with particular attention to the areas of human physiology that are relevant for the studies presented in the experimental chapters. Chapter 1 also presents a summary of the HIF pathway and the novel findings presented in this thesis.</p> <p>Chapter 2 illustrates the methods used to perform the experiments.</p> <p>Chapter 3 investigates skeletal muscle metabolism, cardiac anatomy, function and energy metabolism in patients with Chuvash polycythaemia, who have mildly elevated levels of HIF, associated with a mutation in von Hippel-Lindau gene, at whole body level. Chapter 3 shows major abnormalities associated with HIF pathway alterations in skeletal muscle energy metabolism, especially in conditions of metabolic stress such as during exercise and digestion of a meal.</p> <p>Chapter 4 shows that patients with Chuvash polycythaemia also have small hearts and reduced cardiac energy levels.</p> <p>Chapter 5 explores cardiopulmonary abnormalities in patients with gain-of-function mutations specifically in HIF-2alpha subunit; these patients are polycythaemic like patients with Chuvash polycythaemia. Observed abnormalities include pulmonary hypertension, elevated heart rate, cardiac output, ventilation, and the increment in pulmonary blood pressure in response to moderate hypoxia.</p> <p>Chapter 6 presents results from experiments in patients with classic von Hippel- Lindau disease, who are not usually polycythaemic. However, some degree of haploinsufficiency was observed in their neutrophils, suggesting a pseudo-hypoxic phenotype. Chapter 6 shows that von Hippel-Lindau disease is not associated with major cardiopulmonary abnormalities.</p> <p>Overall, the research reported in this thesis presents original experimental evidence for the effects of alterations in the HIF pathway on human physiology.</p>
spellingShingle Physiology and anatomy
Formenti, F
The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title_full The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title_fullStr The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title_full_unstemmed The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title_short The role of hypoxia-inducible factor in systemic human physiology
title_sort role of hypoxia inducible factor in systemic human physiology
topic Physiology and anatomy
work_keys_str_mv AT formentif theroleofhypoxiainduciblefactorinsystemichumanphysiology
AT formentif roleofhypoxiainduciblefactorinsystemichumanphysiology