Mitochondrial Respiratory Dysfunction Induces Claudin-1 Expression via Reactive Oxygen Species-mediated Heat Shock Factor 1 Activation, Leading to Hepatoma Cell Invasiveness

Background: Increased claudin-1 (Cln-1) expression in human hepatoma cells with mitochondrial defects leads to high tumor cell invasiveness. Results: Cln-1-mediated hepatoma cell invasiveness occurs via heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) activation. Conclusion: The mitochondrial defect-ROS-HSF1 axis controls hepatoma cell invasiveness. Significance: HSF1 is a key mitochondrial retrograde-responsive transcription factor controlling hepatoma cell invasiveness.Although mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in tumor metastasis, it is unclear how it regulates tumor cell aggressiveness. We have reported previously that human hepatoma cells harboring mitochondrial defects have high tumor cell invasion activity via increased claudin-1 (Cln-1) expression. In this study, we demonstrated that mitochondrial respiratory defects induced Cln-1 transcription via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) activation, which contributed to hepatoma invasiveness. We first confirmed the inverse relationship between mitochondrial defects and Cln-1 induction in SNU hepatoma cells and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. We then examined five different respiratory complex inhibitors, and complex I inhibition by rotenone most effectively induced Cln-1 at the transcriptional level. Rotenone increased both mitochondrial and cytosolic ROS. In addition, rotenone-induced Cln-1 expression was attenuated by N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant, and exogenous H2O2 treatment was enough to increase Cln-1 transcription, implying the involvement of ROS. Next we found that ROS-mediated HSF1 activation via hyperphosphorylation was the key event for Cln-1 transcription. Moreover, the Cln-1 promoter region (from -529 to +53) possesses several HSF1 binding elements, and this region showed increased promoter activity and HSF1 binding affinity in response to rotenone treatment. Finally, we demonstrated that the invasion activity of SNU449 cells, which harbor mitochondrial defects, was blocked by siRNA-mediated HSF1 knockdown. Taken together, these results indicate that mitochondrial respiratory defects enhance Cln-1-mediated hepatoma cell invasiveness via mitochondrial ROS-mediated HSF1 activation, presenting a potential role for HSF1 as a novel mitochondrial retrograde signal-responsive transcription factor to control hepatoma cell invasiveness.