There was no indication that iRGD increased the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in HCC xenografted mice (Supplementary Fig. S2d), suggesting that cell damage was not involved in the iRGD-induced elevation of circulating AFP in these mice. Here, AFP is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.