Hypoxia-Induced MicroRNA Modulation in Cancer Biology

Hypoxia, a hallmark of rapidly growing solid tumours, triggers a coordinated cellular response mediated largely by hypoxia-inducible factors. Central to this adaptation is the modulation of microRNAs—short, non-coding RNAs that fine-tune gene expression post-transcriptionally. Among these, miR-210 has emerged as a master regulator under low-oxygen conditions, influencing diverse processes such as angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, cell survival, DNA repair and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Hypoxia-activated microRNAs can drive oncogenic programmes by suppressing tumour suppressors or by reinforcing hypoxia signalling in positive feedback loops. Conversely, they may also exert tumour-suppressive effects in certain contexts. The hypoxic microRNA signature extends beyond intracellular regulation: many hypoxia-induced microRNAs are packaged into extracellular vesicles or bound to protein carriers, enabling long-range communication within the tumour microenvironment. This field spans fundamental insights into gene regulatory networks and has opened avenues for novel diagnostic biomarkers, prognostic indices and targeted therapies that disrupt hypoxia-driven microRNA circuits.

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Hypoxia-Induced MicroRNA Modulation in Cancer Biology publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in hypoxia-induced microrna modulation in cancer biology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hypoxia: A state of reduced oxygen availability in tissue, common in rapidly growing tumours.

MicroRNA (miRNA): A 20–24 nucleotide non-coding RNA molecule that regulates gene expression by binding target mRNAs and inhibiting translation or inducing degradation.

HIF-1α: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha, a transcription factor stabilised under low oxygen that drives expression of hypoxia-responsive genes, including certain miRNAs.

Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT): A biological programme by which epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal traits, enabling increased motility and invasiveness.

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs): Membrane-bound particles released by cells, carrying proteins, lipids and RNA, which mediate intercellular communication.

Tumour Microenvironment: The complex milieu surrounding cancer cells, encompassing stromal cells, immune infiltrates, extracellular matrix and soluble factors that influence tumour progression.

References

1. CPEB2 Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Metastasis through Regulating the HIF-1α/miR-210-3p/CPEB2 Axis. Pharmaceutics (2023).
2. CD204-positive M2-like tumor-associated macrophages increase migration of gastric cancer cells by upregulating miR-210 to reduce NTN4 expression. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy (2024).
3. miR-210 Expression Is Strongly Hypoxia-Induced in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cell Lines and Is Associated with Extracellular Vesicles and Argonaute-2. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).