Molecular biology of hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B virus association.
The involvement of the hepatitis B virus in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma was initially suggested on the basis of epidemiological studies. In recent years several kinds of experimental evidence have supported this hypothesis; however, the role played by hepatitis B virus in hepatocarcinogenesis still needs to be elucidated. Several groups of researchers are presently involved in establishing whether hepatitis B virus makes a specific genetic contribution to carcinogenesis or predisposes to neoplastic transformation by causing chronic inflammation and cell regeneration. A comprehensive examination of the data available in the literature suggests that the two hypotheses may not be mutually exclusive.
Bova
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Istituto Internazionale di Genetica e Biofisica, CNR, Naples, Italy.
Micheli
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MR
Nardiello
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D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003043:Cocarcinogenesis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008954:Models, Biological; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016662:Virus Integration
D004279:DNA, Viral