CXCL8 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In HCC, HIF-1α could promote the growth, invasion, metastasis, and development of drug resistance to sorafenib treatment in HCC cells by up-regulating the expression of the target gene RIT1. 83Similarly, Feng et al84 found that HIF-1α was significantly overexpressed in HCC cells and facilitated the migration and invasion of HCC cells by modulating IL-8 via the NF-κB (nuclear factor-kappa B) pathway.