Mechanism of TNF-α autocrine effects in hypoxic cardiomyocytes: Initiated by hypoxia inducible factor 1α, presented by exosomes

► Mechanism of TNF-α autocrine by hypoxic cardiomyocytes was investigated. ► Hypoxia induces HIF-1α accumulation and expression in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. ► HIF-1α initiates transcriptional activation of TNF-α in response to hypoxia ► mTNF is secreted by hypoxic cardiomyocytes and released through exosomal pathway.