CircWDR25 facilitated HCC cell proliferation and invasion by regulating the circWDR25/miR-4474-3p/arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15) and EMT axes, in which it enhances the expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) in HSCs and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) in HCC cells, thereby influencing the immune response in the TME and ultimately affecting HCC prognosis and recurrence (Liu et al., 2022). This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and hepatocellular carcinoma.