Hypoxia, notch signalling, and prostate cancer

• Published in: Nature reviews. Urology Vol. 10; no. 7; pp. 405 - 413
• Main Authors: Marignol, Laure, Rivera-Figueroa, Karla, Lynch, Thomas, Hollywood, Donal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.07.2013
• Subjects: Androgens; Animals; Breast cancer; Cancer cells; Cell Hypoxia - physiology; Cells; Cellular signal transduction; Development and progression; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Humans; Hypoxia; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 - metabolism; Kinases; Ligands; Male; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; Neovascularization, Pathologic - metabolism; Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology; Neovascularization, Pathologic - therapy; Oncology; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Prostatic Neoplasms - therapy; Proteins; Receptors, Notch - physiology; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - physiology; Tumors; Urology; Ireland
• ISSN: 1759-4812; 1759-4820
• DOI: 10.1038/nrurol.2013.110

The notch signalling pathway is involved in differentiation, proliferation, angiogenesis, vascular remodelling, and apoptosis. Deregulated expression of notch receptors, ligands, and targets is observed in many solid tumours, including prostate cancer. Hypoxia is a common feature of prostate tumours, leading to increased gene instability, reduced treatment response, and increased tumour aggressiveness. The notch signalling pathway is known to regulate vascular cell fate and is responsive to hypoxia-inducible factors. Evidence to date suggests similar, therapeutically exploitable, behaviour of notch-activated and hypoxic prostate cancer cells.