HULC and hepatocellular carcinoma: HULC was shown to have binding sites for miR-372 and therefore to act as an endogenous “sponge.” HULC-mediated inhibition of miR-372 leads to reduction in repression of the target gene PRKACB and subsequent phosphorylation of the proto-oncogene c-AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in HCC cells (134).