The expression of CENPA, E2F1, FOXM1, HMGA1, HMGB2, MYBL2, TCF19 and ZIC2 was upregulated and ESR1 was downregulated in HCC samples compared with normal tissues based on the GSE64041 and GSE54236 datasets (Fig. 7C, D). Here, ZIC2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.