To validate if LINC00978 regulated HCC progression in a microRNA-125b-5p/SOX12 axis-dependent manner, we co-transfected LINC00978 and microRNA-125b-5p inhibitor or SOX12 overexpression plasmids in SNU449 and SNU423 cells, the SOX12 mRNA expression was determined by qRT-PCR (Figure 5(a)), which were then co-transfected with LINC00978 and microRNA-125b-5p depletion plasmids, as well as LINC00978 depletion and SOX12 overexpression plasmids. Here, SOX12 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.