Hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factors in diabetes and its complications – published online 26/01/2021

Sergiu-Bogdan Catrina, Xiaowei Zheng

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) sense oxygen changes and coordinate a multitude of processes that enable cells to cope with hypoxia, such as angiogenesis, mitochondrial respiration, glycolysis, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. HIF signalling is tightly controlled and its disturbed activity is involved in several pathologies (such as cancer and ischaemic diseases). In this issue, Catrina and Zheng (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-021-05380-z) summarise the role of hypoxia and HIFs in diabetes and its complications. They explain that, while multiple tissues are hypoxic in diabetes, the appropriate reaction of HIF signalling is inhibited by hyperglycaemia and fatty acids. The dysregulated HIF signalling impairs the adaptive responses of tissues to hypoxia and, thus, plays an important pathogenic role in the development of diabetes and its complications. The authors also discuss the potential of specific HIF-targeting therapies for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and its related complications. The figures from this review are available as a downloadable slideset.

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