To determine whether O-GlcNAcylation is the key regulator attenuating the effects of Rab3A on HCC metastasis, we knockdowned OGT in Hep3B cells and overexpressed OGT in PLC/PRF/5 cells before altering Rab3A levels in these cells (Fig. 4a–e and Additional file 5: Figure S4a–c). The gene discussed is RAB3A; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.