SOX2 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Additionally, knockdown of integrin β1 suppressed the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR, as well as the expressions of p-4E-BP and SOX2 in HCC cells grown on 16 kPa substrate stiffness (Figure 3B), thus suggesting that integrinβ1 mediates higher matrix stiffness-induced activation of mTOR pathway.