GLI1 upregulates its own expression and consequently auto-enhances Hh signal activation.11 In previous studies, we found that GLI1 was aberrantly overexpressed in HCC and predisposed to poor prognosis after liver resection by inducing the epithelial–mesenchymal transition phenotype in a SNAI1-dependent manner.12 The gene discussed is GLI1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.