Revisiting the HIF switch in the tumor and its immune microenvironment

Abstract

Hypoxia is a hallmark of all solid tumors and their metastases. This leads to activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) family of transcription factors, which modulate gene expression within both tumor cells and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, influencing tumor progression and treatment response. The best characterized HIF isoforms, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, show nonoverlapping and often antagonistic roles. With the recent availability of inhibitors that target one or both HIFs, including the first-in-class selective HIF-2α inhibitor belzutifan, the prospect of HIF-α isoform-selective targeting is now a reality. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the unique contributions of the two HIF-α isoforms to tumor progression in the context of the complex tumor immune microenvironment, highlighting important considerations for therapy.

Keywords: HIF-1α; HIF-2α; cancer therapy; hypoxia; tumor microenvironment.