TGFβ also significantly increased the expression levels of HSPG2 and VCAN in HCC-cultured tissues (p < 0.05), and VCAN in CAFs (p < 0.01), but neither CSPG4 in CAFs and ex vivo samples, nor HSPG2 in CAFs, suggesting that CSPG4 expression is not regulated by TGFβ, and that HSPG2 may be produced in HCC under the control of this cytokine by cells other than CAFs. Here, HSPG2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.