The role of HIF-1 in oncostatin M-dependent metabolic reprogramming of hepatic cells

Hypoxia and inflammation have been identified as hallmarks of cancer. A majority of hepatocellular carcinomas are preceded by hepatitis B- or C-related chronic infections suggesting that liver cancer development is promoted by an inflammatory microenvironment. The inflammatory cytokine oncostatin M (OSM) was shown to induce the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1 α) under normoxic conditions in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells. HIF-1 α is known to orchestrate the expression of numerous genes, many of which code for metabolic enzymes that play key roles in the adaptation of cellular metabolism to low oxygen tension