HIF-1 inhibitors as anti-cancer therapy

Hypoxia is a hallmark of solid tumors. Hypoxia increases the progression of malignancy and metastasis by promoting angiogenesis and triggering the over-expression of various protein products critical for tumor growth. The transcription factor HIF-1 mediates cellular response to hypoxia by promoting processes, such as glycolysis and angiogenesis. Clinical evidence has demonstrated that expression of HIF-1 is strongly associated with poor patient prognosis and activation of HIF-1 contributes to malignant behavior and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, HIF-1 is a viable target for cancer therapy. This review summarizes agents that have been described in the literature as HIF-1 inhibitors. The majority of these compounds are indirect inhibitors of HIF-1.