Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway regulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1 to protect from intestinal injury during necrotizing enterocolitis

NEC activates important protective cellular responses to hypoxic injury such as HIF-1α and PI3-K/Akt in neonatal gut. Hypoxia-mediated activation of pro-survival signaling during NEC may be modulated with growth factors, which thus suggests a potential therapeutic option in the treatment of neonates with NEC.