Figure 7. Schematic presentation of DCLK1 signaling and two distinct feed-forward-like regulations during HCV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis.

DCLK1 induced by HCV or other factors (e.g. growth factors, Figure 6) is likely to affect downstream multiple pathways such as inflammation, microtubule cytoskeleton reorganization, immunosuppression and oncogenic stimulus via c-Myc. The studies presented here were primarily focused on the inflammatory cascades. Additional studies will be needed to delineate how cellular migration (Figure 5) occurs via DCLK1-S100A9-induced cytoskeleton reorganization and secretion of S100A9 external microenvironments of the infected hepatocytes. The DCLK1-controlled regulation of c-Myc has also been shown previously in other cell lines [58].