More strikingly, the miR-296-5p level in HCC tissues was positively correlated with E-cadherin expression (R = 0.728, P < 0.001, Fig. 1d), while negatively associated with Vimentin expression (R = − 0.364, P < 0.001, Fig. 1d). The gene discussed is VIM; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.