HIV Coinfection Exacerbates HBV-Induced Liver Fibrogenesis Through a HIF-1α- and TGF-β1-Dependent Pathway

Investigators found that HIV and HIV gp120, through engagement with CCR5 and CXCR4 coreceptors, activated AKT and ERK signaling and subsequently upregulate hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) to increase HBV-induced transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and profibrogenic gene expression in hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells.