The high levels of hepatic ARMCX3 found in conditions of NAFLD (both experimentally induced and in patients) and the induction of ARMCX3 seen in response to palmitate treatment of hepatic cells may be part of the deleterious effects seen when liver is exposed to excessive fat and the subsequent hepatic lipotoxicity, which primes for potential HCC. Here, ARMCX3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.