More interestingly, the Spearman Correlation analysis clearly showed negative correlations between miR-149 and AKT1 mRNA (protein, IHC scores) expression in HCC tissues (for miR-149 and AKT1 mRNA: rs = -0.639, P < 0.001, Figure 4C; for miR-149 and AKT1 protein: rs = -0.716, P < 0.001, Figure 4D). This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.