Furthermore, we analyzed the TCGA-LIHC dataset and found that 22 of the 32 AS factors mentioned above (EFTUD2, HNRNPA1, HNRNPA3, PPIL1, PUF60, SNRPC, U2AF2, RBM17, BUD31, DDX42, FUS, HSPA2, PHF5A, PRPF19, PRPF8, SF3A3, SNRNP200, SNRNP40, SRSF3, WBP11, RBM8A and BCAS2) were highly expressed in HCC tissue compared to normal liver tissue (Fig. 1E). This evidence concerns the gene U2AF2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.