Epigenetic Regulation in the Development of Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Viruses are always dependent on their host in many ways. They especially rely on the cellular machinery of the host cell for their replication. In this regard, epigenetic regulation is one of the influential factors during viral infections. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is involved in developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by different mechanisms. Both the HBc and HBx viral proteins are able to interfere with the host cell epigenetic machinery in different ways. While the role of HBc has not yet been defined in detail, HBx has been shown to have multiple effects on the host epigenetic machinery, including interaction with methyltransferases (DNMTs), methyltransferases (HMTs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), m6A modification, and MiRNA. Also, it impairs the immune cell function to modulate the expression of host genes associated with HBV-induced HCC. Therefore, this chapter aims to provide an overview of the epigenetic regulation in HBV-related HCC.