[HTML][HTML] Activation of hypoxia signaling induces phenotypic transformation of glioma cells: implications for bevacizumab antiangiogenic therapy

H Xu, S Rahimpour, CL Nesvick, X Zhang, J Ma… - Oncotarget, 2015 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
H Xu, S Rahimpour, CL Nesvick, X Zhang, J Ma, M Zhang, G Zhang, L Wang, C Yang
Oncotarget, 2015ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary brain tumor in adults.
Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF), can attenuate tumor-associated edema and improve patient symptoms but based
on magnetic resonance imaging, is associated with non-enhancing tumor progression and
possibly gliosarcoma differentiation. To gain insight into these findings, we investigated the
role of hypoxia and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins in GBM …
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and deadly primary brain tumor in adults. Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), can attenuate tumor-associated edema and improve patient symptoms but based on magnetic resonance imaging, is associated with non-enhancing tumor progression and possibly gliosarcoma differentiation. To gain insight into these findings, we investigated the role of hypoxia and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins in GBM. Tumor markers of hypoxia and EMT were upregulated in bevacizumab-treated tumors from GBM patients compared to untreated counterparts. Exposure of glioma cells to 1% oxygen tension increased cell proliferation, expression of EMT-associated proteins and enhanced cell migration in vitro. These phenotypic changes were significantly attenuated by pharmacologic knockdown of hypoxia-inducible Factor 1α (HIF1α) or HIF2α, indicating that HIFs represent a therapeutic target for mesenchymal GBM cells. These findings provide insights into potential development of novel therapeutic targeting of angiogenesis-specific pathways in GBM.
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