Oxygen-starved cancer cells develop similar survival strategies as the Sherpa population of the Himalayan region
07.08.2025 - 18:05:45
Results of a VHIO led study show that up to 90% of chronically hypoxic patients have an EPAS1 alteration in their tumor, a gene critical for adapting to lack of oxygen in populations living at high-altitude such as Tibetans and Sherpas. EPAS1-driven adaptation mechanisms enable tumor cells to proliferate under hypoxia and similarly, allow high-altitude dwellers to survive low-oxygen conditions. Convergent evolution is a central concept in evolutionary biology, showing how different organisms can develop convergent traits independently when facing similar environmental challenges, in this instance hypoxia. Published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), findings from this study suggest that achieving a deeper understanding of the links between natural adaptation and tumorigenesis could enhance cancer driver discovery and pave the way for identifying novel therapeutic targets. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/oxygen-starved-cancer-cells-develop-similar-survival-strategies-as-the-sherpa-population-of-the-himalayan-region-302423960.html
