OBJECTIVE To explore the role of hypoxic inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) in the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells under hypoxic conditions.METHODS A cassette encoding small interference RNA (siRNA)targeting HIF-1α mediated by recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) was constructed, giving rAAV-siHIF, rAAV-siHIF or rAAV- hrGFP was transfected into exponentially growing MiaPaCa2 cells under hypoxic conditions. Then, the expression of HIF-1αmRNA and protein, the proliferation and apoptosis of MiaPaCa2 cells were examined, using real-time PCR, West Blot, MTT and TUNEL, respectively.RESULTS Under hypoxic conditions, rAAV-siHIF inhibited the expression of HIF-1α mRNA and protein in MiaPaCa2 cells. At the same time, rAAV-siHIF decreased MiaPaCa2 cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. However, rAAV-hrGFP had no effect on the expression of HIF-1α as well as the proliferation and apoptosis of MiaPaCa2 cells under hypoxic conditions.CONCLUSION Under hypoxic conditions, HIF-1α plays a key role in the proliferation of MiaPaCa2 cells, and inhibition of HIF-1α expression can lead to MiaPaCa2 cell apoptosis.