Anat Cell Biol.  2012 Jun;45(2):73-78. 10.5115/acb.2012.45.2.73.

From tumor hypoxia to cancer progression: the implications of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 expression in cancers

• Nurwidya F
• Takahashi
• Minakata K
• Murakami A
• Takahashi

• KMID: 2005868
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2012.45.2.73

Abstract

Hypoxia, defined as a decrease of tissue oxygen levels, represents a fundamental pathophysiological condition in the microenvironment of solid tumors. Tumor hypoxia is known to be associated with radio/chemo-resistance and metastasis that eventually lead to cancer progression contributing to poor prognosis in cancer patients. Among transcription factors that accumulated under hypoxic conditions, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a master transcription factor that has received the most intense attention in this field of research due to its capacity to modulate several hundred genes. With a clearer understanding of the HIF-1 pathway, efforts are directed at manipulation of this complex genetic process in order to ultimately decrease cellular HIF-1 levels. Some novel agents have been shown to have HIF-1 inhibition activity through a variety of molecular mechanisms and have provided promising results in the preclinical setting.

Keyword

Tumor hypoxia; Cancer progression; Hypoxia-inducible factor-1

MeSH Terms

Anoxia
Genetic Processes
Humans
Neoplasm Metastasis
Oxygen
Prognosis
Transcription Factors
Oxygen
Transcription Factors

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