MAPK8 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In addition, in the case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), HNK was found to inhibit the activation of NFκB (nuclear factor kappa B) signaling, thereby suppressing the expression of several NFκB-target anti-apoptotic genes, and thus reinforcing the direct proapoptotic effect of the compound via up-regulation of phospho-JNK [55].