MitoK ATP channels promote the proliferation of hypoxic human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via the ROS/HIF/miR-210/ISCU signaling pathway.

Previous results have indicated that mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (mitoK(ATP)) channels are associated with the hypoxic proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). However, the mechanism underlying the promotive effects of mitoK(ATP) channels on cell proliferation in response to hypoxia remains unknown. mitoK(ATP) channel opening results in a collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). As hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) is a critical oxygen sensor and major transcriptional regulator of the hypoxic adaptive response, the current study assessed whether mitoK(ATP) opening contributes to the chronic proliferation of human PASMCs (hPASMCs) in collaboration with HIF-1 alpha and its downstream targets under hypoxic conditions. The present study demonstrated that there was crosstalk between mitoK(ATP) channels and HIF-1 alpha signaling in PASMCs under hypoxic conditions. The results suggest that mitoK(ATP) channels are involved in the proliferation of PASMCs during hypoxia through upregulation of the ROS/HIF/microRNA-210/iron-sulfur cluster protein signaling pathway.