Modulating the expression of STOML2 in HCC cells with lentivirus-mediated specific short hairpin (sh) RNAs or STOMLFlag (Fig. 2a), we found that over-expression of STOML2 in SMMC-7721 cells resulted in significant promotion of colony formation (Fig. 2b) and cell proliferation (Fig. 2c). Here, STOML2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.