Cyr61/CCN1 and CTGF/CCN2 mediate the proangiogenic activity of VHL-mutant renal carcinoma cells.

ABSTRACT: The von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein serves as a negative regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-alpha subunits. Since HIF regulates critical angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and lesions in VHL gene are present in a majority of the highly vascularized renal cell carcinoma (RCC), it is believed that deregulation of the VHL-HIF pathway is crucial for the proangiogenic activity of RCC. Although VEGF has been confirmed as a critical angiogenic factor upregulated in VHL-mutant cells, the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy specifically targeting VEGF signaling remains modest. In this study, we developed a three-dimensional in vitro assay to evaluate the ability of RCC cells to promote cord formation by the primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cel

SUBMITTER: Chintalapudi MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2288647 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature