Upregulation of BNIP3 by 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to hypoxia-mediated cell death

Background Pancreatic cancer cells often show resistance to hypoxia-mediated apoptosis, but the molecular mechanism underlying that resistance remains unknown. The purpose of the present study, therefore, was to examine the role of epigenetic gene alteration in the resistance to hypoxia-mediated apoptosis among pancreatic cancer cells.