Therefore, we suggest that, in accordance with the profile of the study population, our gene expression results could be also the product of other stimuli in livers damaged by viral persistence of HCV, HBV and other chronic infections because HSCs express receptors for HCV, such as CD80 and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) receptor, allowing an increase in the viral infection rate. Here, LDLR is linked to viral infectious disease.