To understand the suitability of liver-derived cell transfection models for HBV genotype B replication/transcription, we first determined the transcriptome profile of selected liver enriched TFs including the HNF family: HNF1(HNF1α, HNF1β), HNF3 (HNF3α, HNF3β, HNF3γ), HNF4 (HNF4α, HNF4γ) along with CCAAT binding protein-α (C/EBPα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) in HCC-derived hepatoma cells and immortalized human hepatocyte cells in comparison with PHH. This evidence concerns the gene HNF1B and hepatocellular carcinoma.