Role of the Hypoxia Inducible Factors HIF-1α and HIF-2α during hepatic repair in a rat model of thioacetamide (TAA)-induced chronic liver damage

Background: Hypoxia has been shown to have a role in the pathogenesis of several forms of liver disease. The Hypoxia Inducible Factors (HIFs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved transcriptional regulators that affect a homeostatic response to low oxygen tension and have been identified as key mediators of angiogenesis, inflammation, and metabolism. HIF-1α and HIF-2α can activate simultaneously distinct target genes with different functions regarding the regulation of hypoxia-related genes. Methods: Male Wistar rats were administrated thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water up to 20 weeks and sacrificed at dif…