Based on the relative expression levels observed in the different normal and HCC cell lines, we used lentiviral transduction to construct stable HMGB1 and RICTOR 3′UTR over-expressing cell lines in normal QSG-7701 liver cells (OE-HMGB1/RICTOR cells), whereas specific shRNA was used to stably knockdown HMGB1/RICTOR in HCCLM3 cell line, respectively, or in PLC/PRF/5 HCC cell line (KD-HMGB1/RICTOR cells) (Supplementary Fig. 2a). This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.