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Review
. 2022 Feb 21;11(4):741.
doi: 10.3390/cells11040741.

Hepatitis B Viral Protein HBx and the Molecular Mechanisms Modulating the Hallmarks of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review

Enakshi Sivasudhan  1   2 , Neil Blake  2 , Zhiliang Lu  1   3 , Jia Meng  1   3 , Rong Rong  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Hepatitis B Viral Protein HBx and the Molecular Mechanisms Modulating the Hallmarks of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review

Enakshi Sivasudhan et al. Cells. .

Abstract

With 296 million cases estimated worldwide, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the most common risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV-encoded oncogene X protein (HBx), a key multifunctional regulatory protein, drives viral replication and interferes with several cellular signalling pathways that drive virus-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the role of HBx in modulating the various hallmarks of HCC by supporting tumour initiation, progression, invasion and metastasis. Understanding HBx-mediated dimensions of complexity in driving liver malignancies could provide the key to unlocking novel and repurposed combinatorial therapies to combat HCC.

Keywords: HBx protein; cancer hallmarks; hepatitis B virus; hepatocellular carcinoma; therapeutics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hallmarks of hepatocellular carcinoma modulated by hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx). Numerous liver tumorigenesis-driving hallmarks influence the downstream cellular mechanisms by sustaining proliferative signalling, eluding growth suppressors, evading immune destruction, facilitating replicative immortality, aiding in tumour-promoting inflammation, triggering invasion and metastasis, prompting angiogenesis, inducing genome instability, preventing cell apoptosis, and deregulating cellular energetics.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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