These results provide functional and mechanistic links between the tumor suppressor miRNA-152 and the oncogene Wnt1 on the proliferative nature of HCV-HCC, highlighting an important role for miR-152 in the regulation of malignant proliferation in the molecular etiology of HCV-related HCC, and suggest a potential application of miR-152 in HCV-related HCC therapy. Here, WNT1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.