Fig. 1

NRF1 is highly upregulated in HCC and correlated with poor prognosis of patients with HCC. A GSEA was applied to compare NRF1 activity in HCC and normal tissue in TCGA-LIHC dataset. B-C NRF1 mRNA level was compared between tumors and normal tissue (B) or paired tumors and adjacent normal tissue (C) in TCGA-LIHC dataset. D-E The correlation of NRF1 mRNA level and TNM stage (D) or pathological grade (E) in TCGA-LIHC dataset. F NRF1 expression in our HCC tissue and adjacent normal tissue was determined by Western blot. G-H The representative IHC images of NRF1 was exhibited (G) and the IHC score (n = 65) was shown (H). Scale bar: 50 μm. I-J NRF1 mRNA and protein levels in HCC cell lines and normal liver cell line were analysed by qRT-PCR (I) and Western blot (J). K-L Kaplan–meier curve showed the effect of NRF1 on HCC overall survival (K) and disease free survival (L) in TCGA-LIHC dataset. M Forest plot showed Cox proportional hazards model for disease free survival in TCGA-LIHC dataset. N The relevance of NRF1 expression and HCC patients survival was analyzed with GSEA in TCGA-LIHC dataset. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001