PROM1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Importantly, genetic depletion of Prom1+ cells (Prom1-DTA) in both HCC mouse models resulted in a significant depletion of Spink1 as further confirmed by both qPCR and RNAScope analyzes (Fig. 2g–i), implying that CD133 maybe either co-expressed with Spink1 in the same cell and/or CD133 controls the expression of Spink1, though this will have to be further explored.