HIF-prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor reduces respiration and induces angiogenic response in retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19)

Anemia is a common feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and a major public health problem worldwide and strongly associated with ocular diseases. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabilizers, also known as HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (PHIs), are promising candidates for the treatment of CKD-associated anemia by increasing erythropoietin synthesis. The aims of this study to investigate how HIF activation by HIF-PHIs affects the metabolism and gene expression pattern in human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. Roxadusta is a HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor, robustly induced the transcriptional changes of genes involved in angiogenesis (including VEGFA and ANG) and hypoxic response in ARPE-19 cells.