In order to ascertain whether the DNA-PK/AKT/Notch1 signaling pathway mediated the effect of SPC25 on increased proliferation and the stemness phenotype of HCC cells, we continued to use AZD-7648 and MK-2206 in 5 μM in the sphere formation medium to inhibit the DNA-PK and AKT activation of Hep3B-SPC25 and Huh7-SPC25 cells respectively. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.