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. 2014 Jul 14;1(3):396-412.
doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwu038.

The hepatitis B virus-associated tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Pengyuan Yang  1 , Geoffrey J Markowitz  2 , Xiao-Fan Wang  2
Affiliations

The hepatitis B virus-associated tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Pengyuan Yang et al. Natl Sci Rev. .

Abstract

In contrast to a majority of cancer types, the initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is intimately associated with a chronically diseased liver tissue, with one of the most prevalent etiological factors being hepatitis B virus (HBV). Transformation of the liver in HBV-associated HCC often follows from or accompanies long-term symptoms of chronic hepatitis, inflammation and cirrhosis, and viral load is a strong predictor for both incidence and progression of HCC. Besides aiding in transformation, HBV plays a crucial role in modulating the accumulation and activation of both cellular components of the microenvironment, such as immune cells and fibroblasts, and non-cellular components of the microenvironment, such as cytokines and growth factors, markedly influencing disease progression and prognosis. This review will explore some of these components and mechanisms to demonstrate both underlying themes and the inherent complexity of these interacting systems in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of HBV-positive HCC.

Keywords: cytokines; growth factors; hepatitis B; hepatocellular carcinoma; leukocytes; tumor microenvironment.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cellular and subcellular components of the microenvironment are affected by HBV throughout the entire pathogenic process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
HBV modulates the activity of cellular components of the tumor microenvironment, having the potential to both enhance and inhibit activity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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