To access the function of endogenous LOXL4 in HCC, we knocked down expression of LOXL4 using two LOXL4-specific shRNA lentiviruses (shLOXL4–1 or shLOXL4–2) in Hep3B and Huh7 cells, which expressed relatively higher LOXL4 (Additional file 2: Figure S2a and b). Here, LOXL4 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.