LOXL2 and neoplasm: Although the specific signals/pathways leading to LOXL2 overexpression in tumours are not yet fully characterized, one of the stressful conditions that can trigger LOXL2 overexpression is hypoxia, a very common stress factor in cancer, and in fact LOXL2 gene expression is upregulated by hypoxia and it is a direct target of HIF-161.