EPAS1 and pulmonary emphysema: In line with these findings, it was shown in a transgenic mouse model treated with the VEGFR2 inhibitor SU5416, which is known to induce emphysema, that HIF-2α plays a vital role in protecting the lung from emphysema by inducing hepatocyte growth factor, an important growth factor together with VEGF to maintain endothelial cell function and vasculature in the alveoli (Pasupneti et al., 2020).