Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) infected by hepatitis B virus showed nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 in cholangiocytes and were predominantly observed in the cytoplasm, and that re-localization and accumulation of HMGB1 in the cytoplasm is an essential step for its extracellular release which contribute to the inflammatory response during ACLF [36]. The gene discussed is HMGB1; the disease is acute-on-chronic liver failure.