Recently it has been shown that miR-148a-mimetic treatment in Pten null mice markedly suppressed tumor development and growth rates.19 These effects were associated with tumor cell differentiation and were at least partially mediated by IkB kinase alpha/NUMB/NOTCH signaling.19 Therefore, miR-148a may represent a promising candidate for miRNA replacement therapy in HCC patients. This evidence concerns the gene NUMB and hepatocellular carcinoma.