This local soft environment then induces mechanoepigenetic changes that enhance CD133 expression and suppress THBS2 expression through histone H3 modifications at their respective promoter regions, facilitating a positive feedback loop to support clonogenic expansion of a subpopulation of HCC cells with high CD133 expression and low THBS2 expression (Figure 6I). The gene discussed is THBS2; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.