HIF-1α and HIF-2α Differently Regulate the Radiation Sensitivity of NSCLC Cells

The hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF)-1/2&alpha
are the main oxygen sensors which regulate the adaptation to intratumoral hypoxia. The aim of this study was to assess the role of the HIF proteins in regulating the radiation response of a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro model. To directly assess the unique and overlapping functions of HIF-1&alpha
and HIF-2&alpha
we use CRISPR gene-editing to generate isogenic H1299 non-small cell lung carcinoma cells lacking HIF-1&alpha
HIF-2&alpha
or both. We found that in HIF1 knockout cells, HIF-2&alpha
was strongly induced by hypoxia compared to wild type but the reverse was not seen in HIF2 knockout cells. Cells lacking HIF-1&alpha
were more radiation resistant than HIF2 knockout and wildtype cells upon hypoxia, which was associated with a reduced recruitment of &gamma
H2AX foci directly after irradiation and not due to differences in proliferation. Conversely, double-HIF1/2 knockout cells were most radiation sensitive and had increased &gamma
H2AX recruitment and cell cycle delay. Compensatory HIF-2&alpha
activity in HIF1 knockout cells is the main cause of this radioprotective effect. Under hypoxia, HIF1 knockout cells uniquely had a strong increase in lactate production and decrease in extracellular pH. Using genetically identical HIF-&alpha
isoform-deficient cells we identified a strong radiosensitizing of HIF1, but not of HIF2, which was associated with a reduced extracellular pH and reduced glycolysis.