In agreement, FD-conditioned HCC (Mahlavu and SK-Hep1), glioblastoma multiforme (U87MG) and lung cancer (H441) cells showed a significant increase in self-renewal ability as evident by the increased number of spheres formed and expression level of stemness associated markers such as Oct4, β-catenin and the percentage of CD133-positive cells. This evidence concerns the gene POU5F1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.