The stimulation of thrombosis by hypoxia

Thrombus formation is increased under conditions of hypoxia in animal models of thrombosis and in human populations, but current therapies for thrombosis do not directly target hypoxia-responsive signaling pathways. The vascular response to hypoxia is controlled primarily by the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs), whose target genes include several factors that regulate thrombus formation. In this article, we review the HIF-dependent and HIF-independent signaling pathways that regulate thrombus formation under hypoxic conditions. A better understanding of hypoxia-induced thrombus formation could lead to the development of novel prophylactic therapies for thrombosis.