In addition to STAT3, Smad4 is also predicted as a nonconservative target of miR‐125b‐5p and had been reported associating with EMT and CSC in HCC previously.37 Indeed, we did notice that miR‐125b‐5p inhibited Smad4 expression in HUH7 cells but not in HCCLM3 cells. Here, STAT3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.