PHD2 in tumour angiogenesis

British Journal of Cancer (2010) 103, 1–5. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605682 www.bjcancer.com Published online 11 May 2010

 Originally identified as the enzymes responsible for catalysing the oxidation of specific, conserved proline residues within hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), the additional roles for the prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) proteins have remained elusive.

Of the four identified PHD enzymes, PHD2 is considered to be the key oxygen sensor, as knockdown of PHD2 results in elevated HIF protein.

Several recent studies have highlighted the importance of PHD2 in tumourigenesis. However, there is conflicting evidence as to the exact role of PHD2 in tumour angiogenesis.

The divergence seems to be because of the contribution of stromal-derived PHD2, and in particular the involvement of endothelial cells, vs tumour-derived PHD2. This review summarises our current understanding of PHD2 and tumour angiogenesis, focusing on the influences of PHD2 on vascular normalisation and neovascularisation.