Moreover, exposure of murine primary hepatocytes and murine normal BNL-CL2 cells or HCC-HepG2 cells with a saturated palmitic fatty acid increased expression of Rubicon (a Beclin-1-interacting negative regulator protein), increased expression of p62 and LC3-II, and decreased autophagosome-lysosome fusion, leading to inhibition of autophagy at later stages [58]. This evidence concerns the gene SQSTM1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.