Effects of NaHS on the activation of the Nrf2/HIF-1α signaling pathway in HUVECs. HUVECs were treated with different dosage of NaHS (0, 50, 100, 200 µmol/l) for 48 h. Then, the transcriptional and protein levels of Nrf2, HO-1 and HIF-1α were detected by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis, respectively. (A and B) Treatment with NaHS increased (A) mRNA levels, and (B) nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 and expression of HO-1. Following treatment with NaHS, (C) mRNA and (D) protein expression levels of HIF-1α increased. Representative data from three independent experiments are presented. *P<0.05 vs. the control group; #P<0.05 vs. the 50 µmol/l NaHS treated group; &P<0.05 vs. the 100 µmol/l NaHS treated group. NaHS, sodium hydrosulfide; Nrf2, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2; HIF-1α, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α; HO-1, heme oxygenase-1; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase.