Moreover, the downregulation of Mcl-1 and Sox2 by ψ-Bufarenogin was markedly attenuated in hepatoma cells that were transfected with a dominant negative mutant of Akt, suggesting that Akt was involved in a ψ-Bufarenogin-mediated reduction of Mcl-1 and Sox2 (Figure 5D). This evidence concerns the gene SOX2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.