In this review, we discussed the possible regulators of Sesns expression, such as p53, forkhead box O, nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2), NH (2)-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun pathway and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α), and the downstream pathways regulated by the Sesns including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling, Nrf2 signaling, NADPH oxidase signaling and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling in heart diseases, lung diseases, gastrointestinal tract diseases, liver and metabolism diseases, neurological diseases, kidney diseases and immunological diseases.
HIF-1 is an essential component in changing the transcriptional repertoire of tissues as oxygen levels drop, and could prove to be a very important target for drug development, as treatments evolve for diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, in which hypoxia is a central aspect.