Pathophysiological response to hypoxia - From the molecular mechanisms of malady to drug discovery: Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)-active cells as a target for cancer therapy

The microenvironment of solid tumors is characterized by low po 2 that is well below physiological levels. intratumoral hypoxia is a major factor contributing to cancer progression and is exacerbated as a result of oxygen consumption by rapidly proliferating tumor cells near blood vessels,poor lymphatic drainage resulting in high interstitial pressure,and irregular blood supply through immature tumor vasculature. hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (hif-1) is the main transcription factor that regulates cellular responses to hypoxia. cellular changes induced by hif-1 are extremely important targets for cancer therapy. therefore,targeting strategies to counteract hif-1-active cells are essential for cancer therapy. in this study,we introduce a novel strategy for targeting hif-1-active cells. © the japanese pharmacological society.