We found that miR-205-5p directly binds to LINC00152 and the 3’UTR of CXCL11 and that through this binding, LINC00152 served as a ceRNA to counteract miR-205-5p-mediated suppression on CXCL11 in CAFs, which affected HCC cell phenotypes. The gene discussed is CXCL11; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.