MTBP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Since MTBP's effects on cancer cell migration is independent of the MDM2-p53 pathway [6, 7], we performed luciferase assays using mutant p53-carrying HCC cells lines, PLC/PRF/5 (p53R249S) and Huh7 (p53Y220C), and the results were compared between control cells and those overexpressing MTBP.