Among them, ACSL3, CYP7A1, CYP27A1, FABP6, ME1, MMP1, NR1H3 and PPARG were highly expressed in HCC tissues, while FABP5, HMGCS2 and SLC27A5 were highly expressed in adjacent tissues (Fig. 1B). Here, HMGCS2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.