RAF1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Furthermore, the RAF1-dependency on CASZ1-mediated inhibition of HCC progression was also assessed by gain-and-loss function assays, which showed that overexpression of RAF1 in HCCLM3CASZ1 cells restored their proliferation and metastatic capacity, whereas knockdown of RAF1 in PLC/PRF/5shCASZ1 cells eliminated the promoting effect of CASZ1 silence on cell proliferation, migration and invasion (Fig. 7b-d and Additional file 6: Figure S5C).