The mRNA expression levels of PTP4A3/PRL-3 were statistically significantly different between HCC and normal liver specimens (5.29 ± 1.43 vs. 3.86 ± 0.76, P = 0.0035, Fig. 3b, left), PTP4A3/PRL-3 was more highly expressed in poorly differentiated disease than in well-differentiated disease (6.21 ± 2.25 vs. 4.17 ± 1.70, P < 0.0001, Fig. 3b, right). Here, PTP4A3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.