BBC3 and ischemia: Finally, we also examined whether Hb-α CRISPRi KD altered expression of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1α (HIF-1α) and its downstream pro-apoptotic factors, p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) and NOXA (Latin for damage) [15,16] in the hippocampus basally and after ischemia, and examined whether neuronal Hb-α CRISPRi KD affected hippocampal neuronal survival and/or neurodegeneration.