SPP1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Then, to further investigate the biological significance of SPP1 expression upregulation on HCC, we also investigated five genes related signaling pathways, and the results showed that SPP1 may activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through integrin ITGA and ITGB to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and other processes, which may play an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of HCC.