VEGFA and cancer: Interestingly, hsa_piR_00823, one of the piRNAs differentially up-regulated in HCCs (FC 1,9 and 5,7 for clade A and B, respectively: Figure 1C and Supplementary Table S4), has been involved in regulation of de novo DNA methylation and angiogenesis in multiple myeloma, where its inhibition reduced VEGF secretion by cancer cells [29].