Furthermore, we found that the phosphorylation of Tie2 and downstream PI3Kp85 had no obvious changes after coculture with HCC cell-secreted exosomal ANGPT2 (Additional file 9: Figure S6), and that HCC cell-secreted exosomal ANGPT2 activated the AKT/eNOs and AKT/β-catenin pathways in HUVECs (Additional file 10: Figure S7), indicating that HCC cell-secreted exosomal ANGPT2 may induce angiogenesis by activating the AKT/eNOs and AKT/β-catenin pathways instead of interfering the phosphorylation of Tie2 and PI3Kp85. The gene discussed is ANGPT2; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.