Compared with conventional strategies, small-molecule inhibitors are more acceptable in the treatment of tumors including HCC, owing to their low cost, specificity and ease of administration.41,42 By screening a variety of compounds, we discovered that cephalomannine could significantly inhibit the expression of UBE2S and attenuate cell growth in various HCC lines and tumor growth in vivo. The gene discussed is UBE2S; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.