Lnc-UTGF interacts with SMAD2 and SMAD4 mRNAs through complementary base pairing, enhancing the stability of SMAD2/4 mRNA and thus promoting the TGF-β signalling pathway, while SMAD2 /3 binds to the lnc-UTGF promoter and activates lnc-UTGF-expression, thus forming a TGF-β/SMAD/lnc-UTGF positive feedback loop and promoting the invasive migration of HCC [62]. This evidence concerns the gene SMAD4 and hepatocellular carcinoma.