BNIP3 and ischemia reperfusion injury: In contrast, adenoviral-mediated overexpression of BNIP3 significantly reverses the reduction of mitophagy and prevents renal injury enhancement in mice with ischemia-reperfusion injury, indicating a protective role of HIF-1α-BNIP3-mediated mitophagy in renal tubular cells by inhibiting acute kidney injury cell apoptosis and ROS production.