Taken together, these observations in the current study indicated HSF1 can regulate PD-L1 expression through mediating APOJ and activating STAT3 signaling in HCC cells as well as suggest HSF1-APOJ-STAT3 axis may serve as a potential actionable node to re-construct the immunological status of TME in HCC. This evidence concerns the gene CLU and hepatocellular carcinoma.