| Theme |
Oxidative Stress and the Liver |
| Title |
Hepatitis B and Oxidative Stress |
| Author |
Yasunari Nakamoto |
Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University |
| Author |
Shuichi Kaneko |
Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa University |
| [ Summary ] |
The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) activates pathways which induce oxidative stress and key transcription factors, known to be involved in inflammatory processes in the cells. Activation of NF-κB and STAT-3 most likely contribute to the progression of viral infection to chronic hepatitis and liver oncogenesis associated with HBV. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by activated hepatic Kupffer cells may cause oxidative DNA damage in regenerating hepatocytes, increasing the probability of fixation of the attendant genetic abnormalities and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). |