Previous studies show that multiple autocrine cytokines, including IL‐17 and IL‐37 , could regulate the biological function of hepatoma cells.27, 28 We next investigated whether HBX could promote the secretion of IL‐34 from HCC cells and the secreted IL‐34 in turn had an effect on HCC cells. The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.