Moreover, our work indicates that SAMD1 represses the gene transcription of the PI3K (phosphoinositide-3-kinase) interacting protein PIK3IP1 and the tumor suppressor IRF1 (interferon regulatory factor 1), and likely several other factors, to build a transcriptional network that is associated with a poorer prognosis for patients with HCC. Here, IRF1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.