To investigate novel miRNAs differentially expressed in HCC, we performed small RNA deep-sequencing analysis in 15 liver tissue samples and a novel miRNA (miR-MTCO3P38) was validated, which was derived from the pseudogene MTCO3P38 and had never been previously annotated in miRbase, and we have reported that miR-MTCO3P38 inhibits HCC malignant progression via STAT3/PTTG1/MYC axis 14. Here, PTTG1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.