AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Interestingly, TGM2 expression in liver tissues showed an inverse correlation with serum AFP levels in HCC patients (135), and TGM2 was overexpressed in some AFP-deficient HCC cell lines (SK-HEP-1 and Bel-7402) and approximately half (17/32) of ANHC tissues but trace-expressed in APHC (3/29).