As the expression level of AFP is not constant in different HCC cells depending on the transcription efficiency of AFP promoter in a cell-specific manner, the proliferation-inhibition and apoptosis-inducing effects of the recombinant virus Ad/AFP-Casp-AFP-amiR differed in HepG2 and Hep3B cells due to different transcription efficiency of the recombinant Caspase 3 and artificial microRNAs controlled by AFP promoter in these two cells. Here, AFP is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.