The role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α on colon cancer progression and metastasis
Abstract
Despite the advancements in technological innovations and scientific research in the field of clinical oncology, colon cancer remains one of the predominant factors of cancer-related death all around the world. Hypoxic conditions, characterized by diminished oxygen levels in the tumor microenvironment, are implicated in the tumorigenesis of various types of cancer. HIF-1α, as a principal hypoxic transcription factor, promotes tumor progression due to its interaction with multiple molecular pathways and oncogenic function. Various researches have demonstrated that HIF-1α can increasingly promote the growth and development of colon tumor cells by stimulating downstream target genes through multiple mechanisms such as immune evasion, cancer stem cell enrichment, metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis, and glycolysis. In this review, we will comprehensively review the mechanisms and functions of HIF-1α that contribute to the growth and progression of colon cancer in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment.