Viral infections are the primary cause of liver inflammation or hepatitis, affecting hundreds of millions of people all over the world, and they represent a public health problem worldwide. The acute condition can cause irreversible damage to the liver, and if not cured can become chronic, leading to serious diseases such as cirrhosis or cancer.
A study published in the online edition of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, and carried out by Erwin Wagner’s team, Director of the
BBVA Foundation-‐CNIO Cancer Cell Biology Programme and holder of an
ERC Advanced Grant, shows how the immune system ‘attacks’ liver cells
during hepatitis by using the AP-‐1 gene JunB.