Expression of the hydrogen peroxide-generating enzyme fatty acyl CoA oxidase activates NF-κB

Peroxisome proliferators are a class of hepatic carcinogens in rodents and have been proposed to act in part by increasing oxidative stress. Fatty acyl CoA oxidase (FAO), which is highly induced by peroxisome proliferators, is the hydrogen peroxide-generating enzyme of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway. We previously showed that the treatment of rats and mice with the perosisome proliferator ciprofibrate resulted in increased hepatic NF-kappa B activity and suggested that this effect may be secondary to the action of H2O2-generating enzymes. To test this possibility directly, we have determined whether transient overexpression of FAO, in the absence of peroxisome proliferators, leads to NF-kappa B activation. Here, we show that FAO overexpression in Cos-1 cells, in the presence of an H2O2-generating substrate, can activate a NF-kappa B regulated reporter gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays further demonstrated that FAO expression increases nuclear NF-kappa B DNA binding activity in a dose-dependent manner. The antioxidants vitamin E and catalase can inhibit this activation. These results indicate that FAO mediates, at least in part, peroxisome proliferator-induced NF-kappa B activation.