Proteasome or immunoproteasome inhibitors cause apoptosis in human renal tubular epithelial cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

CoCl2, CEP-18770 and ONX-0914 induce apoptosis in human renal tubular epithelial cells. Importantly, proteasome or immunoproteasome inhibitors are rather toxic than beneficial in human renal tubular epithelial cells treated with the hypoxia mimetic CoCl2.