In order to discover and identify the specific transcriptional factors that regulate TERT expression and cell growth in HCC, we used the BSBP method coupled with MALDI–TOF/TOF MS approach to identify the TERT promoter binding proteins in HCC cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, BEL-7402, SNU-449) and immortalized liver cell line (LO2). Here, TERT is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.