Estrogen Receptor α Represses Transcription of HBV Genes via Interaction With Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α

Estrogen can repress transcription of HBV genes by up-regulating ER-α, which interacts with and alters binding of HNF-4α to the HBV enhancer I. These findings might account for the lower viral load and reduced incidence of liver cancer in HBV-infected women than men.