Work

Hypoxia, melanocytes and melanoma – survival and tumor development in the permissive microenvironment of the skin

Year: 2009

Type: review

Abstract: The tissue microenvironment plays a critical role in cell survival and growth and can contribute to cell transformation and tumor development. Cellular interactions with the stroma and with other cells provide key signals that control cellular arrest or division, survival or death, and entrance or exit from a quiescent state. Together, these decisions are essential for maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Tissue oxygenation is an important component of the microenvironment that can acutely alter the behavior of a cell through the direct regulation of genes involved in cell survival, apoptosis, glucose metabolism, and angiogenesis. Loss of tissue homeostasis due to, for example, oncogene activation leads to the disruption of these signals and eventually can lead to cell transformation and tumor development. Here we review the role of tissue oxygenation, and in particular physiologic skin hypoxia, on cell survival and senescence and how it contributes to melanocyte transformation and melanoma development.

Source: Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research

DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-148x.2009.00553.x

Authors: Barbara Bedogni, Marianne Broome Powell

Institution: Stanford University

Language: English

Topic: Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute