HIF1A and hepatocellular carcinoma: Notably, previous evidence indicated that, in the context of HCC growth, the Sp1‐related pathways can lead to the overexpression of VEGF, without altering HIF‐1α activity, because significant VEGF production has been shown in siHIF‐1α‐transfected Hep3B cells (an HCC cell line) under normoxic or hypoxic condition and neutralized after Sp1 silencing (Choi, Park, Song, & Choi, 2011).