VHL and hereditary clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Recent studies have also shown that Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) protein, a product of the VHL tumor suppressor gene, provides negative regulation of VEGF and other hypoxia-inducible genes (inactivation of this gene leads to development of capillary hemangioblastomas in the retina and cerebellum, and in many cases, renal cell carcinomas) [23].