Research has indicated that Ct-HBx transactivates the nuclear factor of activated T cells 2 (NFATC2), inhibiting the transcription of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), which subsequently suppresses OXPHOS in HCC cells and promotes aerobic glycolysis, contributing to the occurrence and progression of HBV-related HCC and correlating with poor prognosis (82).High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) enhances the DNA binding activity of HIF-1α through the Hippo pathway, promoting aerobic glycolysis in HCC cells by facilitating the expression of key glycolytic genes (83). Here, NFATC2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.