Caveolin-1 suppresses hippocampal neuron apoptosis via the regulation of HIF1α in hypoxia in naked mole-rats

Naked mole-rats (NMRs) (Heterocephalus glaber) are highly social and subterranean rodents with large communal colonies in burrows containing low oxygen levels. The inhibition of severe hypoxic conditions is of particular interest to this study. To understand the mechanisms that facilitate neuronal preservation during hypoxia, we investigated the proteins regulating hypoxia tolerance in NMR hippocampal neurons. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a transmembrane scaffolding protein, confers prosurvival signalling in the central nervous system. The present study aimed to investigate the role of Cav-1 in hypoxia-induced neuronal injury. Western blotting analysis and immunocytochemistry showed that Cav-1 expression was significantly upregulated in NMR hippocampal neurons under 8% O-2 conditions for 8 h. Cav-1 alleviates apoptotic neuronal death from hypoxia. Downregulation of Cav-1 by lentiviral vectors suggested damage to NMR hippocampal neurons under hypoxic conditions in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of Cav-1 by LV-Cav-1 enhanced hypoxic tolerance of NMR hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) are also increased under hypoxic conditions. After inhibiting the binding of HIF-1 alpha to hypoxia response elements in the DNA by echinomycin, Cav-1 levels were downregulated significantly. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed the direct role of HIF1 alpha in regulating the expression levels of Cav-1 in NMR hippocampal neurons under hypoxic conditions. These findings suggest that Cav-1 plays a critical role in modulating the apoptosis of NMR hippocampal neurons and warrant further studies targeting Cav-1 to treat hypoxia-associated brain diseases.