ERVW-1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Hepatitis C virus (HCV), identified as an enveloped positive RNA virus and a member of the family Flaviviridae, is a valid factor in a great diversity of human liver diseases, for instance, cirrhosis, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).1, 2, 3 According to the previous studies, HCV could be cleaved into four structural proteins (C, E1, E2 and p7) and six nonstructural proteins (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS4A and NS5B) by cellular and viral proteases.1, 2, 4 Among the 10 proteins, E2, which is considered as HCV envelope protein, has aroused the interests in the therapy of HCV.