Abstract:
The origin, growth and spread of various cancers follow some common regulatory paths. Although hundreds of genes are involved in this process, most of these paths are initiated and controlled by one dominant and central factor, the Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α (HIF-1α). Therefore, instead of targeting individually several hallmark characters of cancer, scientists now attempt to seek a multifaceted approach by targeting this dominant factor, HIF-1α. Cancer cells have developed multiple paths in order to escape when a particular path is targeted as a survival mechanism. This is true while targeting HIF-1α also as it involves multiple paths. This necessitates finding some multiple inhibitors from various sources to plug its multiple molecular paths. As most of the conventional therapies targeting this factor failed to yield desirable results, seeking solutions from non-conventional therapies has become imperative. In this connection, it is reported that many functional foods having good amount of anti-cancer compounds are recommended and consumed for combating against cancer. Among them some are said to be very effective in controlling HIF-1α by acting on different molecular pathways. By this means, a possible synergistic mechanism is proposed in inhibiting the various molecular pathways of HIF-1α more effectively through varied molecular mechanisms of the active compounds found in the selected functional foods.
