To explore the role of UPF1 in liver CSC properties, we performed sphere-formation assays, and the result showed that knockdown of UPF1 promoted the liver CSC-like properties of HCC cells (Fig. 4E), the number of spheres per 1000 single-liver CSCs increased after UPF1 downregulation (Fig. 4F). The gene discussed is UPF1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.