Hence, under hypoxic condition, HIF‐1α and Twist1 cooperatively promote Bmi1 transcriptional activation and then stabilize its downstream target genes including E‐cadherin and Snail via regulation of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, leading to renal fibrosis 59 (Fig. 1A). The gene discussed is HIF1A; the disease is renal fibrosis.