Cooperation Between Aflatoxin-Induced p53 Aberrations and Hepatitis B Virus in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) imposes a significant burden on global public health. Exposure to aflatoxins, potent mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus fungi contaminating staple foods, and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are major etiological factors, especially where they co-exist. This review examines the critical role of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway as a primary target and convergence point for the carcinogenic actions of aflatoxins and HBV. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a Group 1 carcinogen, exerts significant genotoxicity, characteristically inducing a specific hotspot mutation (R249S) in the TP53 gene via DNA adduct formation, thereby compromising p53’s critical tumor suppressor functions. This R249S mutation is considered a molecular fingerprint of aflatoxin exposure. Concurrently, the HBV X protein (HBx) functionally inactivates wild-type p53 through direct binding and by promoting its degradation. The synergistic disruption of the p53 pathway, driven by AFB1-induced mutation and amplified by HBV-mediated functional inhibition, significantly enhances the risk of HCC development. This review addresses how aflatoxin exposure alters key aspects of p53 and how this damage interacts with HBV-mediated p53 suppression, providing crucial insights into hepatocarcinogenesis. The knowledge synthesized here underscores the importance of mitigating aflatoxin exposure alongside HBV control for effective HCC prevention and treatment strategies.