HNF1A and Hepatic steatosis: HCV induces HNF1 and HNF4 due to increased oxidative stress and direct protein-protein interactions between HCV non-structural component (NS) 5A and HNF1. Again, some HCV proteins, particularly the structural capsid protein, core, and the non-structural protein, NS5A, can induce hepatic steatosis by interfering with intracellular lipid metabolism26.