The role of NF-kappaB in hypoxia-induced gene expression

Hypoxia is a common physiologic and pathophysiologic stimulus that activates the expression of genes through oxygen-sensitive transcription factors including the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Hypoxia-dependent gene expression can have important physiologic or pathophysiologic consequences for an organism, depending upon the cause of the hypoxic insult. Consequently, this pathway represents an attractive therapeutic target in a number of disease states. While the mechanism linking hypoxia to the activation of HIF has been extensively studied, our understanding of how hypoxia activates NF-kappaB is limited. Recent studies have demonstrated that similar oxygen-sensing mechanisms are employed in conferring oxygen sensitivity to both HIF and NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression. Furthermore, there is an extensive degree of cross-talk occurring between NF-kappaB and HIF. Investigations into mechanisms of hypoxic activation of HIF and NF-kappaB and how these signaling pathways interact will uncover new therapeutic modalities in a diverse range of disease states where hypoxia is a feature of the microenvironment including cancer, vascular disease, and chronic inflammation.