Results showed that SCH772984 efficiently reversed APPLE-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation (Fig. 6A), decreased the elevated expression levels of AFP (Fig. 6B) and PCNA (Fig. 6C), and inhibited APPLE-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells (Fig. 6D-G). This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.