**5. Therapeutic implications and future perspectives of epigenetics in chronic hepatitis B**

NAs, the most commonly used modality of CHB therapy, is costly without definite duration. Interferon induces sustained virologic response with finite duration, but the response rate is suboptimal. The realistic goal of CHB therapy is to render the patients to the clinical situation similar to inactive carrier stage, i.e., normal alanine aminotransferase levels with low or negative serum HBV DNA levels. Since epigenetic silencing may contribute to the suppressive HBV replication status of inactive carrier stage, it would be theoretically feasible and clinically useful to induce epigenetic suppression of HBV replication simulating natural inactive stage of disease. Further studies will be needed to elucidate the mechanisms and long-term consequences of epigenetic suppression of HBV replication.
