Hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factors and inflammatory bowel diseases

Fei Hou; Xixi Bian; Dehuai Jing; Huikuan Gao; Fengqin Zhu

doi:10.1093/gastro/goae030

Hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factors and inflammatory bowel diseases

Gastroenterol Rep (Oxf). 2024 Apr 17:12:goae030. doi: 10.1093/gastro/goae030. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Fei Hou¹, Xixi Bian^{2

3}, Dehuai Jing², Huikuan Gao⁴, Fengqin Zhu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Liver Diseases, Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P. R. China.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, P. R. China.
³ Clinical Medical College of Jining Medical University, Department of Clinical Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, P. R. China.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P. R. China.

Abstract

Adequate oxygen supply is essential for maintaining the body's normal physiological function. In chronic inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), insufficient oxygen reaching the intestine triggers the regulatory system in response to environmental changes. However, the pathogenesis of IBD is still under investigation. Recent research has highlighted the significant role of hypoxia in IBD, particularly the involvement of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) and their regulatory mechanisms, making them promising therapeutic targets for IBD. This review will delve into the role of hypoxia, HIF, and the associated hypoxia-inflammatory microenvironment in the context of IBD. Potential interventions for addressing these challenging gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases will also be discussed within this framework.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; hypoxia; hypoxia-inducible factor; inflammatory bowel disease; ulcerative colitis.

Publication types

Review