HMGB1 and infection: We observed that MLKL expression was increased in HSV-ble infection during normoxia or hypoxia, but MLKL expression was reduced in HT29 cells infected with HSV-HMGB1 after exposure to hypoxia; similarly, MLKL expression was downregulated in HT29 cells by hypoxia which is in alignment with some prior research [46].