Depletion of Transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGFBR2) in HCC tumor initiating cells (TIC) resulted in increased in vivo tumorigenesis and was associated with marked upregulation of H19 via SRY-box transcription factor 2(SOX2) and knocking down H19 abrogated TGFBR2-deletion-induced tumorigenesis [37]. This evidence concerns the gene SOX2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.