Snail stabilization and EMT, through enhanced Akt activity and subsequent GSK-3β phosphorylation, is induced by hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis and in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients which have amplification and overexpression of the novel oncogene Maelstrom (MAEL) [94,95]. The gene discussed is MAEL; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.