@article{3141405,
    title = "Hydronephrosis Promotes Expression of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 alpha",
    author = "Stravodimos, Konstantinos G. and Koritsiadis, Georgios and Lazaris, and Andreas C. and Agrogiannis, Georgios and Koutalellis, Georgios and and Constantinides, Constantinos and Patsouris, Efstratios and Kapetanakis, and Theodoros and Zervas, Anastasios",
    journal = "Urologia Internationalis",
    year = "2009",
    volume = "82",
    number = "1",
    pages = "38-42",
    publisher = "Karger",
    issn = "0042-1138, 1423-0399",
    doi = "10.1159/000176023",
    keywords = "Hydronephrosis; Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha; Muscle hypertrophy",
    abstract = "Background: Obstructive uropathy is argued to involve an ischemia-type
tissue injury. Further, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha)
constitutes a nuclear transcription factor normally upregulated under
hypoxic conditions. We hypothesized that HIF-1 alpha is expressed in the
hydronephrotic renal pelvis, as a result of tissue hypoxia. Patients and
Methods: Renal pelvis tissue specimens were obtained from 2 patient
groups. Group 1 (controls, n = 10) consisted of patients who underwent
nephrectomy due to nonobstructive renal malignancy. Group 2 (n = 18)
consisted of patients who underwent open procedures due to intractable
hydronephrosis, not amenable to conservative measures. HIF-1 alpha
detection was conducted via immunohistochemical techniques, while
histological alterations in both groups were also recorded. Results:
Smooth muscle hypertrophy and urothelial hyperplasia were major findings
in group 2. HIF-1 alpha-positive cells (fibroblasts and occasionally
macrophages), mainly localized in the stroma, were also found to a
greater extent in group 2 (p = 0.0066). Conclusion: We conclude that
HIF-1 alpha is mainly expressed in stroma fibroblasts of the
hydronephrotic renal pelvis, implying the presence of significant tissue
hypoxia at the dilated upper urinary tract. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger
AG, Basel"
}