Exploiting the hypoxia response.

Hypoxia (low oxygen) is a defining physiological feature of a number of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and retinopathy. Hypoxia plays an active role in the pathology of these diseases through its impact on gene expression, thereby making the hypoxia-signaling pathway a key target for the development of novel molecular therapies. This review focuses on how the elucidation of this pathway has led to the development of novel therapeutic strategies, including physiologically targeted gene therapy and the identification of novel therapeutic targets within the hypoxia-signaling pathway.