CLU and hepatocellular carcinoma: The mutated STAT3 is often constitutively activated and functions as an oncogenic protein.51 It has recently been recognized that STAT3 serves as a central node in the regulation of the anti-tumor immune response.52 Of note, STAT3 is being implicated as a promising target to anti-cancer immunity in HCC.30 In the study, we further observed the activation of STAT3 signaling after HSF1 overexpression and such STAT3 signaling activation was dependent on the existence of APOJ in HCC cells.