PDK1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In addition, hepatocellular carcinoma cell-derived exosome miR-21 can target PTEN and facilitate the activation of the PDK1/Akt pathway in HSCs cells, thereby converting to CAFs and further contributing to malignant tumor progression [9], suggesting that a communication pathway mediated by sEVs between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and HSCs exists and that inhibiting this pathway may represent a promising therapeutic measure to reduce the source of CAFs and confer anti-tumor effects in HCC.