Interplay of long non-coding RNAs and HIF-1α: A new dimension to understanding hypoxia-regulated tumor growth and metastasis

Hypoxia is a feature of the solid tumor microenvironment that is associated with poor clinical outcomes in multiple tumor types. Hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) is a master regulator of hypoxic adaption, has been demonstrated to modulate hypoxic gene expression profiling and signaling transduction networks, and is thus a potential therapeutic target. Despite hypoxic response signaling having being extensively studied, the involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the hypoxic response has become a new focus of attention. Emerging evidence has documented complex interactions between HIF-1 alpha and lncRNAs, which contribute to the acquisition of multiple hallmarks of cancer. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the study of hypoxia and HIF-1 alpha-regulated lncRNAs, and summarize the molecular mechanisms and functional outcomes of the interplay between lncRNAs and HIF-1 alpha, which may provide important insights into cancer diagnosis and prognosis, enabling better control of cancer.