该基因编码转录因子缺氧诱导因子-1（hif-1）的α亚单位，是由α亚单位和β亚单位组成的异二聚体。HIF-1通过激活许多基因的转录，包括那些参与能量代谢、血管生成、细胞凋亡和其他蛋白质产物增加氧气输送或促进对缺氧的代谢适应的基因，作为细胞和全身对缺氧的稳态反应的主要调节器。因此，HIF-1在胚胎血管化、肿瘤血管生成和缺血性疾病的病理生理学中起着重要作用。另外，编码不同亚型的剪接转录变体已被鉴定为该基因。
This gene encodes the alpha subunit of transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), which is a heterodimer composed of an alpha and a beta subunit. HIF-1 functions as a master regulator of cellular and systemic homeostatic response to hypoxia by activating transcription of many genes, including those involved in energy metabolism, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and other genes whose protein products increase oxygen delivery or facilitate metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. HIF-1 thus plays an essential role in embryonic vascularization, tumor angiogenesis and pathophysiology of ischemic disease. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified for this gene.