The pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is complicated with the crosstalk of multiple factors and the multi-step processes. The main mechanisms underlying the HBV-induced HCC include:①integration of HBV DNA into the host hepatocyte genome to alter gene function at the insertion site,resulting in host genome instability and expression of carcinogenic truncated proteins;②HBV gene mutations at S,C,and X coding regions in the genome;③HBV X gene-encoded HBx protein activates proto-oncogenes and inhibits tumor suppressor genes,leading to the HCC occurrence. In this article,the recent research progress on the molecular mechanism of HBV-induced HCC is comprehensively reviewed,so as to provide insights into the prevention,early prediction and postoperative adjuvant therapy of HCC.
Keywords: Gene integration; Gene mutation; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus X protein; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Review.