TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: We demonstrate that HCV glycoproteins and virus infection reduce tight junction integrity and E-Cadherin expression, promote EMT markers Snail and Twist expression and hepatoma migration via stabilizing hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF-1α), a transcriptional regulator that activates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor (TGFβ) expression.