Fig. 3.

RNA-sequencing and alternated pathways in ccRCC samples. Seven ccRCC specimens were analyzed using the benign tissue as reference. a Within the distinct populations of malignant and benign tissue, a close genetic relationship was observed. b The biological processes (Gene Ontology) of mitochondrial ATP synthesis and respiratory electron transport chain were significantly downregulated in ccRCC tumors; whereas, the pathways (KEGG 2019 Human) of HIF-1 signaling, Cori cycle, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis were upregulated. c The genes MT-ND4L, MT-ND4, MT-ND3, MT-ND1 and MT-CO1 were downregulated in ccRCC tissue. The expression of several genes involved in HIF-1 signaling and glycolysis were upregulated. d Glycolysis and their inhibition by 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG, simplified): After uptake via SLC2A1, glucose and 2-DG are phosphorylated to glucose 6-phosphate or 2-DG 6-phosphate, respectively. 2-DG-6-phosphate is a competitive inhibitor of the phosphoglucose isomerase, thus inhibiting further glycolysis; a full list of all genes significantly alternated is provided in the supplementary data. Several corrections were used to identify significance, including FDR and Bonferroni corrections with a p value ≤ 0.05 being significant