Several important tumor-related genes were defined as the direct target for miR-28-5p, such as AKT in gastric cancer (8), N4BP1 in ovarian cancer (29), IL-34 (30) and IGF-1 (10) in hepatocellular carcinoma, and Rap1b in renal cell carcinoma (31). Here, IL34 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.