To decide whether the oncogenic function of USP35 in HCC cells relies on ABHD17C, we overexpressed ABHD17C in USP35-deficient Hep3B and SNU449 cells and found that ABHD17C overexpression rescued the reduced levels of p-PI3K and p-AKT caused by USP35 knockdown (Fig. 5A, B). Here, AKT1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.