Lack of correlation between expression of HIF-1alpha protein and oxygenation status in identical tissue areas of squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix.
Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) has been proposed as a candidate endogenous marker of tumor hypoxia and as a molecular mediator of hypoxia-driven malignant progression and acquired treatment resistance. In this study, HIF-1alpha expression in 68 biopsies of oxygenation measurement tracks from squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix of 38 patients was assessed. Expression of HIF-1alpha was commonly found to increase as a function of distance from microvessels, at the center of tumor cell aggregations, and in the vicinity of necrotic areas. However, there was no correlation of HIF-1alpha expression with median oxygen tension (oxygen partial pressure; pO2) and hypoxic fractions (hypoxic fraction < 2.5 mm Hg, hypoxic fraction < 5 mm Hg). The results indicate that HIF-1alpha should not be used as an endogenous marker of tumor hypoxia in locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix. Additionally, no significant prognostic impact of HIF-1alpha expression was found in this group of patients.
Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology,University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. arnmayer@uni-mainz.de
Arnulf
A
Mayer
Alexander
A
Wree
Michael
M
Höckel
Cornelia
C
Leo
Henryk
H
Pilch
Peter
P
Vaupel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010313:Partial Pressure; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D014157:Transcription Factors; D010100:Oxygen