Preliminary investigation of the supernatants from the co-culture system with MCT1 knockout M0φ showed elevated lactic acid levels, suggesting that M0φ may have impaired lactic acid uptake in the absence of MCT1; whereas in the presence of SLHT HCC cells, the supernatants from the MCT1-knockdown group became higher in lactic acid OD value (Figure 3B). This evidence concerns the gene SLC16A1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.