ANGPT1 and chronic hepatitis C virus infection: First, previous data has demonstrated that Ang-1 secreted by hepatic stellate cells contributes to liver fibrosis, and circulating Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels have been described as non-invasive biomarkers of cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, highlighting the close relationship between angiogenesis and liver fibrosis [31, 50].