HIF-2α promotes conversion to a stem cell phenotype and induces chemoresistance in breast cancer cells by activating Wnt and Notch pathways

Background Hypoxic tumor microenvironment and maintenance of stemness contribute to drug resistance in breast cancer. However, whether Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) in hypoxic tumor microenvironment mediates conversion to a stem cell phenotype and chemoresistance of breast tumors has not been elucidated.