BREAST CANCER CELLS UNDER OXYGEN STRESS: ADAPTATION AND SURVIVAL MECHANISMS

Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu

doi:10.22270/ujpr.v10i5.1427

Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu Department of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe.

10.22270/ujpr.v10i5.1427

Keywords:

angiogenesis, breast cancer, cell survival, hypoxia, metabolic reprogramming

Abstract

Oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia, is a key characteristic of the tumor microenvironment in various solid tumors, such as breast cancer. As tumors exceed their blood supply, regions with low oxygen develop, generating selective pressure that fuels cancer advancement and resistance to treatment. Breast cancer cells demonstrate significant flexibility, allowing them to adjust to and endure under these difficult circumstances. Grasping the cellular and molecular reactions to hypoxia is essential for creating more efficient treatment approaches. A key adaptation to hypoxic stress includes metabolic reconfiguration. Breast cancer cells lower their dependence on oxygen driven mitochondrial respiration while boosting glycolytic activity, even when oxygen is available this is referred to as the Warburg effect. This metabolic change facilitates ATP generation and biosynthesis in oxygen-limited environments. Simultaneously, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) trigger various genes related to angiogenesis, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), encouraging the development of new yet frequently ineffective blood vessels that continue to sustain hypoxic environments.