title: Correlation and coexpression of HIFs and NOTCH markers in NSCLC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  NOTCH and hypoxia pathways are both known to be highly involved in cancer. Because of the close interplay between both of these pathways, we investigated correlation and co-expression of molecules in these pathways.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 335 unselected stage I-IIIA NSCLC patients, protein expressions of hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), hypoxia inducible factor 2α (HIF2α), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), lactate dehydrogenase 5 (LDH5), carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), delta like 4 (DLL4), JAGGED1, NOTCH1 and NOTCH4, evaluated by immunohistochemistry, were correlated and co-expressions tested in tumor and stromal cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIF2α and LDH5 correlated moderately with DLL4, JAGGED1 and NOTCH4 in both tumor and stromal compartments (Spearman's r=0.16-0.33). The coexpression of HIF1α and NOTCH1 in tumor was significantly indicative of poor prognosis in univariate analysis. Hypoxia and NOTCH ligands and receptors were moderately correlated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of appealing coexpression findings for HIF1α and NOTCH1 may be due to the way HIF1α directly influences NOTCH signalling without depending on an elevated NOTCH expression.
authors: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromso, Norway. sigve.andersen@uit.no
authors: Sigve
authors: S
authors: Andersen
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Donnem
authors: Samer
authors: S
authors: Al-Saad
authors: Khalid
authors: K
authors: Al-Shibli
authors: Helge
authors: H
authors: Stenvold
authors: Lill-Tove
authors: LT
authors: Busund
authors: Roy M
authors: RM
authors: Bremnes