During progression of HCV-related chronic liver disorders, our current data indicated that hepatocytes affected by chronic inflammation undergo transition from the tumor-suppressive pSmad3C pathway, which is characteristic of mature hepatocytes, to the JNK/pSmad3L pathway, which appears to favor the state of flux shown by MFB, accelerating liver fibrosis. This evidence concerns the gene MAPK8 and Hepatic fibrosis.