HMGCR and hepatocellular carcinoma: Furthermore, we investigated the expression of the cholesterol synthesis rate-limiting enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells and mouse fetal hepatocytes treated with E2in vitro as well as in fetal livers from a high intrauterine E2 mouse model in vivo.