MAZ has been reported to be upregulated in HCC and to promote HCC progression by activating the transcription of the oncogenes CCND1, NEIL3, etc. [32, 33] In addition, the interaction between the FHL3 and MAZ proteins was validated by exogenous IP in HEK293T cells and endogenous IP in Hep3B and MHCC97H cells (Fig. 4C, D). Here, FHL3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.