Abstract
Tumor progression occurs as a result of the clonal selection of cells in which somatic mutations have activated oncogenes or inactivated tumor suppressor genes leading to increased proliferation and/or survival within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that mediates adaptive responses to reduced O2 availability, including angiogenesis and glycolysis. Expression of the O2-regulated HIF-1alpha subunit and HIF-1 transcriptional activity are increased dramatically in hypoxic cells. Recent studies indicate that many common tumor-specific genetic alterations also lead to increased HIF-1alpha expression and/or activity. Thus, genetic and physiologic alterations within tumors act synergistically to increase HIF-1 transcriptional activity, which appears to play a critical role in the development of invasive and metastatic properties that define the lethal cancer phenotype.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
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Review
MeSH terms
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Brain Neoplasms / genetics
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Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
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Brain Neoplasms / pathology
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Cell Division
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Cell Hypoxia
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic* / genetics
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic* / metabolism
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic* / pathology
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DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
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Genes, Tumor Suppressor / genetics
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Genes, Tumor Suppressor / physiology
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Humans
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Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
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Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
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Neoplasm Invasiveness
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Neoplasm Metastasis
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Neoplasms / blood supply
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Neoplasms / metabolism
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Neoplasms / pathology*
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Neovascularization, Pathologic
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Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
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Oncogenes / genetics
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Oncogenes / physiology
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Transcription Factors / physiology*
Substances
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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HIF1A protein, human
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Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
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Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
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Nuclear Proteins
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Transcription Factors