In hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC), DDX17 binds to the zinc finger domain of Klf4, promoting the dissociation of Klf4 from chromatin and blocking the activation of its target gene promoters, thereby modulating the target genes of Klf4, such as decreasing the expression of E-cadherin and increasing the expression of MMP-2. Here, MMP2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.