In summary, while suppression of cellular proliferation and PHD2 silencing could specifically enhance HIF‐2α and HIF‐2‐dependent PAI1 and Epo gene expression, presumably by oxygen‐independent mechanisms, this procedure did not convert REPD cells to permanently “on” Epo expressing cells compared with the established hepatoma and neuroblastoma cell culture models. The gene discussed is EGLN1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.