Hypoxia-mediated activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A review

Since the 1950s, hypoxia has been recognized as a crucial characteristic of cancer cells and their microenvironment. Indeed, hypoxia promotes the growth, survival, and metastasis of cancer cells. In the early 1990s, we found that as many phenomena in hypoxia can occur through hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α). HIF1α is known as an angiogenesis converter in hypoxia, which promotes tumorigenesis, development, immune escape, recurrence, etc; This page goes into great detail on how HIF1α is activated during hypoxia and how the 2 signaling channels interact. It specifically emphasizes the significance of reactive oxygen species, the function of the PI3K/the serine/threonine kinase Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin cascade, and outlines the similarities between the 2 important factors (reactive oxygen species and PI3K/the serine/threonine kinase Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin cascade), nuclear factor κB, for HIF1α Important implications, in an effort to offer fresh views for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and HIF1α research.