Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for 80% of cases worldwide. While chronic hepatitis B and C infections remain primary risk factors, emerging evidence highlights the increasing contributions of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD) to HCC development. Genetic predispositions play a crucial role in modulating individual susceptibility to HCC, particularly through variants affecting viral persistence, lipid metabolism, and fibrogenesis. This review aims to summarize key genetic variants associated with precancerous conditions leading to HCC. The genetic risk factors, such as TP53 R249S mutant, TERT promoter mutations, and Wnt/B‐catenin pathway alterations, influence disease progression and treatment response in HCC subjects with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. In MASLD‐related HCC, variants in PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and MBOAT7 modulate hepatic lipid metabolism and fibrosis. ALD‐associated HCC is influenced by polymorphisms in ADH1B, ADH1C, and ALDH2, which affect alcohol metabolism and oxidative stress. Additionally, inherited metabolic disorders, including Wilson's disease and hemochromatosis, further contribute to HCC susceptibility. Despite previous insights into HCC‐related genetic cues, challenges such as limited population‐specific data, lack of genetic screening programs, and ethical concerns regarding genetic tests hinder the translation of genetic discoveries into personalized HCC prevention strategies. Expanding population‐specific studies, improving genetic screening accessibility, and developing standardized risk prediction models will be crucial in shifting traditional medications toward a precision medicine setting for HCC management.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to present a global health issue. Recent studies have explored the potential role of the gut microbiome in HIV infection for novel therapeutic approaches. We investigated the gut microbiome composition of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Asia–Pacific region. This review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. An electronic search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases using keywords such as “HIV”, “PLHIV”, “AIDS”, “gut microbiome”, “gut dysbiosis”, and “metagenomics”. Only peer-reviewed and full-text studies published in English were included. A total of 15 studies from the Asia–Pacific region were included for analysis. Compared to healthy controls, PLHIV showed an increased abundance of Proteobacteria and its genera, which may be considered pathobionts, and decreased abundances of Bacteroidetes and several genera under Firmicutes with known short-chain fatty acid and immunoregulatory activities. Predominant taxa such as Ruminococcaceae and Prevotellaceae were also associated with clinical factors such as CD4 count, the CD4/CD8 ratio, and inflammatory cytokines. This review highlights gut microbiome changes among PLHIV in the Asia–Pacific region, indicating potential bacterial signatures for prognostication. The partial restoration of the microbiome toward beneficial taxa may ensure the long-term success of treatment, promoting immune recovery while maintaining viral load suppression.
About Me
MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine) Student at the UP College of Medicine, Philippines
MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine) Student at the UP College of Medicine, Philippines