Mitochondrial Channel Opener Diazoxide Attenuates Hypoxia-Induced sFlt-1 Release in Human Choriocarcinoma Cells.

Objectives: To examine the effect of diazoxide on hypoxia-induced soluble fms-like tyrosin kinase-1 (sFlt-1) release in JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells.

Methods: Cells were cultured under normoxia (20% O2) or hypoxia (1% O2), and expression of sFlt-1 mRNA and protein release was determined by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as well as hypoxia stimulated sFlt-1 release and diazoxide inhibited both of them.