ATG12 and STAT3 are targets of miR-454-3p, providing one molecular dissection of HOTAIR deficiency-induced autophagy repression and apoptosis.108 Another study demonstrates that HOTAIR is upregulated in HCC to promote HCC cell proliferation, probably by enhancing ATG3 and ATG7 expression to expedite autophagy flux.109 As HOTAIR can interact with numerous miRNAs, such as miR-34a, miR-331-3P, miR-130a and miR-454-3p, we should recall that HOTAIR regulates autophagy in two ways. This evidence concerns the gene ATG12 and hepatocellular carcinoma.