title: HIF and fumarate hydratase in renal cancer.
abstract: Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer is a recently described hereditary cancer syndrome in which affected individuals are predisposed to the development of leiomyomas of the skin and uterus. In addition, this clinical entity also can result in the development of biologically aggressive kidney cancer. Affected individuals harbour a germline mutation of the fumarate hydratase (FH) gene, which encodes an enzyme that catalyses conversion of fumarate to malate in the Kreb's cycle. Thus far, proposed mechanisms for carcinogeneis associated with this syndrome include aberrant apoptosis, oxidative stress, and pseudohypoxic drive. At this time, the majority of accumulating data support a role for pseudohypoxic drive in tumour development. The link between FH mutation and pseudohypoxic drive may reside in the biochemical alterations resulting from diminished/absent FH activity. These biochemical derangements may interfere with oxygen homeostasis and result in a cellular environment conducive to tumour formation.
authors.affiliation: Urologic Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 10 Center Drive, Bldg 10 CRC Room 1-5940, Bethesda, MD 20892-1107, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudarshan
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Linehan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neckers
mesh_terms: D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D002952:Citric Acid Cycle; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000502:physiology*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D009386:Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase; C497446:VHL protein, human