It was well known that transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin-17, two cytokines that were frequently elevated during the development of HCC,41,42 suppressed the expression of miR-122,43,44 which might be another contributing factors to the downregulation of miR-122 in paracancerous liver tissues. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.