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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Understanding The Pathogenesis of Renal Medullary Carcinoma

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a lethal cancer that predominantly affects young individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT). It is not currently understood why RMC only affects certain individuals with SCT. We found that patients with RMC more frequently participated in high-intensity exercise than matched controls. Using mouse models of SCT, we demonstrated the significant increase of renal hypoxia in the right kidney following high- but not moderate-intensity exercise. We also demonstrated in cell culture studies that SMARCB1 is ubiquitinated for proteasome-mediated degradation in hypoxia, and the re-expression of SMARCB1 leads to compromised proliferation in renal cells specifically in the context of hypoxia. Overall, we proposed that the link between SCT and SMARCB1 deficiency observed in RMC is due to renal hypoxia, which promotes the loss of SMARCB1 due to its survival advantage in hypoxia.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation (PhD)
Year dc:date.available
2021

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Authors dc:creator
  • Soeung, Melinda
  • <p>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6902-898X</p>
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Giulio Draetta, MD, PhD
  • Giannicola Genovese, MD, PhD
  • Michelle Barton, PhD

Subjects

dc:subject × 14

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu:utgsbs_dissertations-2181

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Base URL
digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Soeung, Melinda; <p>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6902-898X</p>. Understanding The Pathogenesis of Renal Medullary Carcinoma. Dissertation (PhD) thesis, 2021. https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/1123