Regulation of pro-angiogenic tissue factor expression in hypoxia-induced human lung cancer cells.

Alternative splicing is a key regulatory mechanism for cellular metabolism controlling cell proliferation and angiogenesis, both of which are crucial processes for tumorigenesis under hypoxia. Human cells express two tissue factor (TF) isoforms, alternatively spliced TF (asTF) and 'full length' TF (flTF). flTF is the major source of thrombogenicity whereas, the function of soluble asTF, particularly in cancer, is widely unknown.