Further work should include an evaluation of ability of the CHV NS3/4A protease to process both the human and canine adaptor proteins MAVS and TRIF in human and canine hepatoma cell lines, as well as the construction of HCV/CHV chimeras to explore this hypothesis or to perform other functional studies related to hepacivirus pathogenesis and treatment. The gene discussed is MAVS; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.