Oxidative stress has been reported to induce the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3),which plays an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).We have previously reported that hepatitis C virus(HCV)and its protein NS4B induces the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS)by endoplasmic reticulum overload response(EOR)in human hepatocytes.