Q-PCR was used to reveal that the transcriptional levels of STAT3-supporting cancer cell-intrinsic hallmarks, including BCL2, MMP9, HIF-1α and PIM1, were all decreased with SPATS2 knockdown in both MHCC-97H and HCC-LM3 cell lines (Figure 2A). This evidence concerns the gene STAT3 and hepatocellular carcinoma.