In HCC, low expression of circPTPN12 is associated with poor prognosis and promotes tumor progression by activating the NF-κB pathway, which in turn enhances the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, fostering an immune-resistant microenvironment (Ji et al., 2024). The gene discussed is NFKB1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.