KRT18 and cancer: MF HSC/MPP showed a high expression of immune and inflammatory pathways (HLA genes, GBP4, and IFITM1), a matrix- and collagen-degrading enzyme (MMP2), and genes with oncogenic function (MYCN, KRT8, and KRT18) that have been correlated with cancer progression and poor survival (Fortier et al., 2013; Lai et al., 2017).