When helenalin, a NF-κB inhibitor, was added to PLC8024 and MHCC-97L medium before rhIL-17A treatment, IL-23p40 mRNA expression was significantly decreased (P<0.05, Independent Student's t-test) (Fig. 5C), which demonstrated that IL-17A induced IL-23 expression in HCC cells was via NF-κB/P65 activation. This evidence concerns the gene IL23A and hepatocellular carcinoma.