Ricardo Moreno‐Otero

SUMMARY Hepatitis B virus is considered one of the most significant environmental carcinogens in humans. Because the mechanisms of HBV replication and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are partially known, HBV‐associated pathogenesis remains a challenge to increase its understanding. Evidence suggests that the regulatory protein hepatitis B virus X (HBx) mediates the establishment and maintenance of the chronic carrier state. HBx is a multifunctional and potentially oncogenic protein that is conserved among mammalian hepadnaviruses; it is produced very early after infection and throughout the chronic phase. HBx exerts its effects by interacting with cellular proteins and activating various signaling pathways. HBx stimulates the transcription of genes that regulate cell growth, apoptosis, and DNA repair. It also interacts with proteasome subunits and affects mitochondrial stability. Moreover, HBx participates in processes that are associated with the progression of chronic liver disease, including angiogenesis and fibrosis. This review discusses the function of HBx in the life cycle of HBV and its contribution to the pathogenesis of HCC. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

HBx

Pathogenesis

Hepatitis B

Viral life cycle

10.1002/rmv.699

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Citations (47)

Desperately seeking hepatitis C virus

World Journal of Gastroenterology (2008)

Ricardo Moreno‐Otero

Spanish investigators described recently the so-called occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, emphasizing the detection of genomic and antigenomic HCV RNA strands in liver and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Therefore, the persistence of viral replication in occult HCV infection should be considered as a putative source of infection among family members and patients undergoing invasive procedures, transfusion or transplantation.Additionally, the most worrisome finding is that an occult HCV infection may persist in patients with sustained virological response.

Occult

Hepatitis C

Viremia

10.3748/wjg.14.2946

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Citations (2)

306 Imbalance of intrahepatic angiogenic factors expression in primary biliary cirrhosis patients

Journal of Hepatology (2004)

P. Sanz-Cameno Samuel Martín‐Vílchez Janaína Braga Medina Luisa Garcı́a-Buey Manuel López‐Cabrera

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Primary (astronomy)

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma