Further clinical data revealed negative co-expression correlations between USF2 and TXNRD1.Our data together describe a novel USF2-TXNRD1-Akt/mTOR signaling axis that regulates HCC proliferation and metastasis and provide new insight into how TXNRD1 functions in the progression of HCC (Fig. 7F). Here, AKT1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.