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Karen Bedard and Karl-Heinz Krause

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Thus, although it is hard to extrapolate from these measurements<br />

to the in vivo situation, it is conceivable that<br />

under hypoxic conditions, ROS generation by NOX enzymes<br />

drops. However, from a mechanistic point of view,<br />

this traditional hypothesis is difficult to reconcile with<br />

observations that 1) HIF is activated by ROS (136), 2)<br />

increased ROS levels mimick the inhibition of redoxsensitive<br />

K � channels by hypoxia (912), <strong>and</strong> 3) NOX4<br />

overexpression enhances hypoxic inhibition of the<br />

TASK-1 K � channel (519).<br />

A revised model where hypoxia increases ROS generation<br />

is depicted in Figure 6. Such a hypoxia-induced<br />

ROS generation, while counterintuitive, has now been<br />

amply documented (337, 362, 455, 581, 941). The source of<br />

the hypoxia-induced ROS might be mitochondria <strong>and</strong>/or<br />

NOX enzymes. There are solid arguments for both suggestions.<br />

In favor of a role of mitochondria, suppression<br />

of the mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase suppresses<br />

hypoxia-induced ROS generation in various cell lines<br />

(115, 337, 579). In favor of a role of NOX enzymes, studies<br />

using primary mouse carotid body chemoreceptor cells<br />

demonstrate that moderate hypoxia leads to increased<br />

ROS generation that is absent in cells derived from<br />

p47 phox -deficient mice (362). The mechanisms accounting<br />

for hypoxia activation of NOX-dependent ROS generation<br />

are not understood.<br />

1. Kidney<br />

In the kidney, hypoxia-dependent posttranslational<br />

stabilization of the transcription factor HIF1� leads to<br />

transcriptional activation of the erythropoietin gene, a<br />

key mechanism for the regulation of erythropoiesis. There<br />

are no mechanistic experiments demonstrating a role of<br />

NOX4 in oxygen sensing by the kidney, but such a role is<br />

conceivable based on the NOX4 localization in the kidney<br />

cortex (294, 813).<br />

2. Carotid body<br />

Carotid bodies are sensory organs composed of a<br />

small cluster of cells located near the bifurcation of the<br />

carotid artery. Carotid bodies detect changes in arterial<br />

oxygen saturation <strong>and</strong> respond to hypoxia by inducing<br />

tachycardia <strong>and</strong> increased ventilation. The carotid body is<br />

composed primarily of two cell types: the glomus cells,<br />

which act as the primary oxygen-sensing cells, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

sustentacular cells, which surround the innervated glomus<br />

cells (713). A decrease in oxygen is rapidly sensed by<br />

the glomus cells, resulting in Ca 2� -dependent neurotransmission<br />

<strong>and</strong> ultimately in increased respiratory <strong>and</strong> cardiac<br />

function.<br />

Molecules <strong>and</strong> mechanisms implied in oxygen sensing<br />

in the carotid body include hemoxygenase (571), nitric<br />

oxide synthetase (712), the mitochondrial respiratory<br />

THE NOX FAMILY OF ROS-GENERATING NADPH OXIDASES 269<br />

Physiol Rev VOL 87 JANUARY 2007 www.prv.org<br />

chain (45), a direct ion channel modulation by oxygen<br />

(559, 695), <strong>and</strong> NOX enzymes.<br />

Early theories suggested a role for NOX2, which can<br />

be detected in carotid bodies (7, 174, 490); however, the<br />

presence of NOX2 in carotid bodies probably reflects the<br />

presence of macrophages (236). Several studies suggest<br />

normal oxygen sensing in NOX2-deficient mice (32, 361,<br />

760), <strong>and</strong> there are no reports of any oxygen-sensing<br />

deficits in patients with CGD. However, while NOX2 deficiency<br />

does not alter oxygen sensing, there are two<br />

studies suggesting an altered oxygen-sensing in p47 phox -<br />

deficient mice (362, 775). The apparent discrepancy between<br />

NOX2-deficient mice <strong>and</strong> p47 phox -deficient mice<br />

hints at a role of a p47 phox -dependent NOX isoform other<br />

than NOX2.<br />

3. Pulmonary oxygen sensing<br />

In pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies, oxygen sensing<br />

involves redox regulation of K � currents. In this<br />

system, there is relatively strong evidence for an involvement<br />

of NOX2 in oxygen sensing: in NOX2-deficient<br />

mice, there is a decreased response to hypoxia in<br />

newborn animals (449) <strong>and</strong> in cells from neuroepithelial<br />

bodies (275). This NOX2 dependence of oxygen<br />

sensing appears to be specific for the pulmonary neuroepithelial<br />

bodies, as oxygen sensing was not impaired<br />

in pulmonary artery smooth muscle from NOX2-deficient<br />

mice (32).<br />

4. Others<br />

No role for NOX2 in oxygen sensing was observed<br />

in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B lymphocytes<br />

(946) or in cardiac fibroblasts (761). Endogenously<br />

expressed NOX in HEK293 is suggested to<br />

cooperate with the TASK-1 K � channel in oxygen sensing.<br />

This effect can be abolished by the expression of<br />

NOX4 siRNA <strong>and</strong> enhanced by overexpression of NOX4<br />

but not NOX2 (519).<br />

G. Biosynthesis <strong>and</strong> Protein Cross-Linking<br />

Peroxidation reactions are important in physiology.<br />

One of the best-documented roles for NOX enzymes<br />

is the iodination of thyroid hormones, a reaction<br />

catalyzed by the thyroid peroxidase using DUOX-derived<br />

hydrogen peroxide (189, 228, 630). Another example<br />

is the H 2O 2 <strong>and</strong> peroxidase-dependent cross-linking<br />

of dityrosine residues in the extracellular matrix, which<br />

has been shown to be DUOX-dependent in cutaneous<br />

tissue of Caenorhabditis elegans (239). Dityrosine<br />

cross-linking is also important for the hardening of the<br />

fertilization envelope in sea urchin eggs, where it is<br />

mediated by the DUOX homolog Udx1 (957). Whether<br />

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