Induction of HIF-1α protein and target gene expression by culture under hypoxic conditions has been described for a wide variety of human cancer cell lines, for example, colon, pancreas, breast and prostate cancer (Zhong et al, 1998; Ravi et al, 2000; Akakura et al, 2001; Tacchini et al, 2004). Here, HIF1A is linked to cancer.