Lamivudine cannot directly inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells, but it can reduce the expressions of MMP-9, HBsAg, and HBeAg in hepatoma cells, inhibit the replication of HBV disease in hepatoma cells, and suppress tumor growth.
Therefore, HBV may take the advantage of MMP-9 function to establish or maintain chronic infection.<b>IMPORTANCE</b> Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may cause chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The serum MMP-9 level was quantitatively determined using a human MMP-9 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which showed that homozygosity of the MMP-9 promoter (TT) was more frequent in patients with HCC and chronic HCV or HBV infection when compared with the control group (49.1, 52.8, and 35.7%, respectively).