Moreover, to determine whether miR-500a-3p activates STAT3 signaling in HCC cells via targeting SOCS2, SOCS4 and PTPN11, we further knocked down SOCS2, SOCS4 and PTPN11 in miR-500a-3p-silencing cells (Additional file 7: Figure S3A).As shown in Additional file 7: Figure S3B, individual silencing of SOCS2, SOCS4 and PTPN11 reversed the STAT3 activity inhibited by anti-miR-500a-3p. This evidence concerns the gene PTPN11 and hepatocellular carcinoma.