Previous researches elucidated that VHL was able to form a ternary complex with elongin C and elongin B and induce proteasomal degradation of hypoxia-inducible factors.[40] Moreover, recent study suggested that VHL negatively regulated antiviral signaling and affected innate antiviral immunity.[41] Therefore, abnormal expression level of VHL caused by rs1642742 may contribute to the risk of HBV-related HCC. Here, ELOB is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.