THERAPEUTIC TARGETING OF HYPOXIA-INDUCIBLE FACTOR SIGNALING PATHWAYS- A PROMISING APPROACH IN CANCER TREATMENT

Oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells with the help of the vascular networking system, which makes availability of oxygen as primary regulator for many processes. Low oxygen availability condition activates the Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIF), which are transcription regulators helping in the expression of genes related to cell cycle regulation and angiogenesis. HIF is hence regarded as the master regulator of angiogenesis. The oxygen deprival is due to the increased consumption of oxygen in the tumor microenvironment and in turn leads to hypoxia. A thorough understanding of how hypoxia influences angiogenesis mediated by several pathways has become essential for identifying novel strategies targeting HIF thereby blocking angiogenesis. In this review we would discuss about the HIF signaling pathways and altered functions of immune cells due to hypoxia by considering that reducing or targeting hypoxia may in turn prevent the suppression of anti-tumor immune response.