D-mannose suppresses HIF-1α mediated metabolic reprogramming in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Ziyin Tian1, Ruonan Zhang1, Yan Ma2

  • 1Nourse Centre for Pet Nutrition, Wuhu, China.

Discover Oncology
|October 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

D-mannose inhibits clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression by targeting HIF-1α. This sugar suppresses tumor cell proliferation and metabolic reprogramming, offering a novel therapeutic strategy for ccRCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Metabolic Research

Background:

  • Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression is driven by VHL inactivation mutations.
  • VHL gene deletion impairs HIF-1/2α degradation, leading to abnormal accumulation.
  • HIF-1/2α accumulation drives metabolic reprogramming and tumor development in ccRCC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of inhibiting ccRCC metabolic reprogramming as a treatment strategy.
  • To explore the effect of D-mannose on ccRCC proliferation and underlying mechanisms.
  • To elucidate the role of D-mannose in targeting HIF-1α pathway in ccRCC.

Main Methods:

  • Cell counting kit-8 assay for in vitro tumor cell viability.
  • Western blotting for protein expression analysis.
  • RT-qPCR for gene mRNA level assessment.
  • Measurement of glucose uptake, lactate, and NADPH production.

Main Results:

  • D-mannose significantly inhibits ccRCC cell proliferation in vitro.
  • D-mannose downregulates HIF-1α protein levels in ccRCC cells.
  • D-mannose suppresses the transcription of HIF-1α downstream targets (GLUT1, LDHA, PDK1, VEGF).
  • D-mannose reduces glucose uptake, intracellular lactate, and NADPH production in ccRCC cells.

Conclusions:

  • D-mannose effectively inhibits ccRCC proliferation by targeting HIF-1α.
  • D-mannose disrupts metabolic reprogramming in ccRCC, presenting a promising therapeutic avenue.
  • This study reveals a novel role for D-mannose in cancer treatment by modulating the HIF-1α pathway.