The use of R26mTmG reporter mice and AAV8-Tbg-Cre infection-based lineage tracing strategy showed that SOX9-positive ductular cells expressed GFP protein signifying that they were derived from hepatocytes, and suggesting that loss of autophagy enabled dedifferentiation of hepatocytes towards HPC and subsequent HCC formation. This evidence concerns the gene SERPINA7 and hepatocellular carcinoma.