Quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analysis showed no changes in the expression of epithelial (E-cadherin and zonula occludens-1) or mesenchymal (N-cadherin and vimentin) markers when H1HR was knocked down or overexpressed (Fig. 5a, b), suggesting that H1HR promotes the migration and invasion of HCC not through regulating the EMT. This evidence concerns the gene VIM and hepatocellular carcinoma.