Therefore, the differentially methylated specific genes (GNA12, IL1R1, and MAP3K2) and the dysregulated miRNAs (mir-135b, mir-374a, and mir-590) in the MAPK, JAK-STAT, and TGF-β pathways cause the methylation-induced liver tumor growth, HCC cell migration and metastatic spread. Here, MAP3K2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.