HIF1A and hepatocellular carcinoma: The former change can result in the reduction in the HBeAg level by suppressing preC mRNA expression [18], and the latter change can enhance the activity of HBx to regulate hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), which might be related to the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [35].