Previously we defined a pathway of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and stromal cell-derived factor-1/CXC chemokine ligand 12 (SDF-1alpha/CXCL12) dependent migration of adult haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPC) towards glioma cells in vitro and their homing to experimental gliomas in vivo. Hypoxia is a critical aspect of the microenvironment of gliomas and irradiation is an essential part of the standard therapy. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of HPC as vectors for a cell-based therapy of gliomas, we investigated the impact of hypoxia and irradiation on the attraction of HPC by glioma cells. Temozolomide (TMZ) treatment and hyperthermia served as controls. Supernatants of irradiated or hypoxic LNT-229 glioma cells promote HPC migration in vitro. Reporter assays reveal that the CXCL12 promoter activity is enhanced in LNT-229 cells at 24 h after irradiation at 8 Gy or after exposure to 1% oxygen for 12 h. The irradiation- and hypoxia-induced release of CXCL12 depends on hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), but not on p53. Induction of transcriptional activity of HIF-1alpha by hypoxia or irradiation requires an intact TGF-beta signalling cascade. This delineates a novel stress signalling cascade in glioma cells involving TGF-beta, HIF-1alpha and CXCL12. Stress stimuli can be irradiation, hypoxia or TMZ, but not hyperthermia. Cerebral irradiation of nude mice at 21 days after intracerebral implantation of LNT-229 glioma induces tumour satellite formation and enhances the glioma tropism of HPC to the tumour bulk and even to these satellites in vivo. These data suggest that the use of HPC as cellular vectors in the treatment of glioblastoma may well be combined with irradiation or other anti-angiogenic therapies that induce tumour hypoxia.