The current study showed that the increase in HIF-1α and VEGF in hypoxic cardiomyocytes was associated with increased P2X7R expression, suggesting that P2X7R can induce pro-angiogenic signaling in the early stage of cardiac ischemia by activating the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway (Figure 8a). Here, HIF1A is linked to myocardial ischemia.