Hypoxia-inducible factor 1, a master transcription factor of cellular hypoxic gene expression

In summary, I have described pivotal roles of the transcriptional factor HIF-1 in cellular and systemic hypoxic responses (Fig. 2). HIF-1 is required for the establishment of key physiological systems during development and their subsequent utilization in fetal and postnatal life. HIF-1 also appears to play a key role in the pathology of many human diseases. This review omits the critical roles of HIF-1 and its target genes in cancer. Future studies on pharmacological modulation of HIF-1 activity by drugs used during the perioperative period may produce new insights into the anesthetic management of patients. We recently found that the volatile austhetic halothane significantly blocks HIF-1 activity and downstream target gene expression induced by hypoxia in the human hepatoma-derived cell line, Hep3B [107]. Because the involvement of HIF-1 in the hypoxic response is not limited to the liver, investigations are indicated of the effects of halothane in other tissues, or organs, such as brain, kidney, lung, and blood vessel and of other anesthetics, both volatile and those administrated intravenously.