Renal cancer is a common urologic malignancy. However, the therapeutic options for metastatic renal cancer patients are limited. Hypoxia (low oxygen) is a fundamental microenvironmental determinant of solid tumor pathophysiology. Recent data from molecular and clinical studies indicate that hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play critical roles in the development and progress of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The HIF transcription factor family is a type of heterodimeric transcription factor consisting of HIF-α and HIF-β subunits and can transcriptionally activate genes that mediate the hypoxic response. In RCC, HIF-1α and HIF-2α have opposing effects: HIF-1α is a tumor suppressor while HIF-2α acts as an oncogene. In this review, we summarize the current advances in understanding the roles and molecular mechanisms of HIF signaling in RCC. We also discuss recent HIF-targeted strategies proposed to improve RCC treatment, which may provide a foundation for further research, including the development of precision medicine for the treatment of RCC.
Yi chuan = Hereditas. 2018 May 20 [Epub]
Jun Xia Zou, Ke Chen
Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China., Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.