Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) alpha, which has three isoforms, is central to the continuous balancing of the supply and demand of oxygen throughout the body. HIF-alpha is a transcription factor that modulates a wide range of processes, including erythropoiesis, angiogenesis, and cellular metabolism. We describe a family with erythrocytosis and a mutation in the HIF2A gene, which encodes the HIF-2alpha protein. Our functional studies indicate that this mutation leads to stabilization of the HIF-2alpha protein and suggest that wild-type HIF-2alpha regulates erythropoietin production in adults.
2008 Massachusetts Medical Society