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. 2021 Jan 5;28(10-11):1088–1098. doi: 10.1038/s41417-020-00279-0

Fig. 1. Intracellular molecular mechanisms leading to metabolic reprogramming and cell transformation, mediated by LOX-1 overexpression.

Fig. 1

Ox-LDL binding to LOX-1 increases ROS formation and NO release reduction, alternatively it can activate the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β cascade. The activation of both pathways results in the triggering of transcription factors associated to epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT-TFs) and of NF-kB. The NO release reduction can also activate the inflammatory signaling (IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β). The final result is the activation of hypoxia pathways (VEGF, HIF-1α) and the enhancement of mesenchymal markers expression (MMP-2 and MMP-9). The outcome of all these processes determines cell transformation, angiogenesis, and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition.