TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Finally, retrospective clinical analysis found that serum miR-148a-3p levels were negatively correlated with TGF-β or FIB4 liver fibrosis scores in HCC patients with hepatitis C virus infection, suggesting that high miR-148a-3p levels are associated with prolonged survival [42], but it remains to be seen whether the inhibitory effect of miR-148a-3p on TGF-β, a key cytokine that plays central role in the development of liver fibrosis, was direct or indirect.