IRF1 and peripheral arterial disease: Although the potential functions of IFN-γ/STAT1/IRF-1 axis have not been assessed so far in experimental PAD models, prior research has reported that PAD patients have significantly higher levels of circulating IFN-γ, and that silencing of STAT1 as well as IRF-1 has been associated with increased outcome and recovery following ischemic injury in other vital organs (e.g. kidney, brain, liver) [92–95].