The pro-inflammatory effect of HIFα inhibition on the HCC TME was further demonstrated by upregulated hepatic mRNA and/or protein expression of several inflammation-related markers, namely the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6 and IFN-γ, the M1-like macrophage marker iNOS, and the immune cell infiltration-related markers CCL2, CCL5 and VCAM-1. Here, CCL2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.