Hepatitis B virus and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B is a very important public health problem. Epidemiologic studie s have shown a relationship between the hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronic car rier state and the development of hepatocellularcarcinoma. HBV belongs to t he Hepadna viruses family which includes the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV ), Woodchucks infected with WHV represent a good experimental model to stud y the viral oncogenesis. In 85% of the studied cases, WHV acts by insertion al mutagenesis in a gene of the myc family, mostly the N-myc2 gene. Express ion of the myc genes is increased, suggesting the role of the viral enhance r. Study of transgenic mice have shown the liver specificity of the WHVacti on. In man, the liver oncogenesis is not explained Studies are in progress to detect inactivation of tumor suppressor genes.