The pathogenesis of HCC progression was proposed by defects in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins in the mitochondrial matrix, leading to upregulation of mitokines FGF21 and GDF15 along with defects of mitoribosomes, leading to higher ROS in HCC patients [27]. Here, GDF15 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.