SNAI1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In line with these results, we observed that the protein expression levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin in HCC-LM3 and SMMC-7721 cells were upregulated under hypoxia, as well as the EMT-TFs Twist1 and Snail, while E-cadherin was downregulated in HepG2 cells, signifying the activation of the EMT process in HCC.