VEGFA mRNA levels were also up-regulated, and the relative VEGFA mRNA level was 1.56 ± 0.92 (P < 0.05, n = 3) (Fig. 2b).The protein levels of VEGFA and KLF8 were determined by western blotting; KLF8-overexpressing HCC cells (0.96 ± 0.09 vs 0.52 ± 0.05, P < 0.05, n = 3) had higher levels of VEGFA (0.86 ± 0.08 vs 0.38 ± 0.03, P < 0.05, n = 3) protein expression (Fig. 2c), which indicated that KLF8 up-regulation increases VEGFA mRNA and protein levels in HCC. Here, VEGFA is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.