As the PI3K/AKT pathway has been involved in EMT processes in the liver cells [30,31] and BMP9 induces this phenotypic conversion in HCC cells [16], it is tempting to speculate that BMP9-triggered AKT activation could mediate EMT in HepG2 cells, although further studies are necessary to test this hypothesis. Here, GDF2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.