Abstract
p53 mutations are rarely detected in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), but, paradoxically, these tumors remain highly resistant to chemotherapy and death receptor-induced death. Here, we show that the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α), a critical oncogenic event in CCRCC following the loss of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor protein, leads to Hdm2-mediated suppression of p53. Primary CCRCC specimens exhibiting strong hypoxic signatures show increased levels of activated nuclear phospho-Hdm2(Ser166), which is concomitant with low p53 expression. The abrogation of Hdm2-p53 interaction using the small-molecule Hdm2 inhibitor nutlin-3 or the downregulation of HIF2α via HIF2α-specific short hairpin RNA or wild-type VHL reconstitution restores p53 function and reverses the resistance of CCRCC cells to Fas-mediated and chemotherapy-induced cell death. These findings unveil a mechanistic link between HIF2α and p53 and provide a rationale for combining Hdm2 antagonists with chemotherapy for the treatment of CCRCC.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 9056-9064 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Cancer Research |
Volume | 69 |
Issue number | 23 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2009 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research