In addition, the Song group indicated that cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1), derived from CAFs, could facilitate stem-like characteristics of HCC cells by STAT3/CXCL6/E2F1 and STAT3/TGF-β/p38 signaling axes [90]. This evidence concerns the gene CLCF1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.