Molecular mechanisms of gender disparity in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 3 Interleukin-6 expression and estrogen receptor signaling pathway. By decreasing the activity of core factors such as NFκB, STAT3 and C/EBPβ, which is associated with the interleukin-6 (IL-6) promoter activity and required for the production of IL-6 in vivo and in vitro, estrogen combines with the estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathway to decrease the IL-6 level and attenuate its induction of liver injury. NFκB: Nuclear factor κB; STAT3: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; C/EBPβ: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β.