In our study, aPKC-ι has no significant effect on NF-kB phosphorylation, but low ATM concentration inhibited aPKC-ι induced apoptosis of HCC cells, which suggested aPKC-ι may promote cell apoptosis via interference with the IκKβ-IκB-NF-kB complexes through P62 in HCC (Fig. 6c). The gene discussed is ATM; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.