HIF-1α in epidermis: oxygen sensing, cutaneous angiogenesis, cancer, and non-cancer disorders

Besides lung, postnatal human epidermis is the only epithelium in direct contact with atmospheric oxygen. Skin epidermal oxygenation occurs mostly through atmospheric oxygen rather than tissue vasculature, resulting in a mildly hypoxic microenvironment that favors increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Considering the wide spectrum of biological processes, such as angiogenesis, inflammation, bioenergetics, proliferation, motility, and apoptosis, that are regulated by this transcription factor, its high expression level in the epidermis might be important to HIF-1α in skin physiology and pathophysiology. Here, we review the role of HIF-1α in cutaneous angiogenesis, skin tumorigenesis, and several skin disorders.