Network analysis and proteomic identification of vimentin as a key regulator associated with invasion and metastasis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

► Use functional proteomics for translation to clinical findings in HCC metastasis. ► Emphasize possible roles of vimentin in regulating the invasive progress. ► Ubiquitin activation due to vimentin silence caused impaired cell motility. ► The protein targets could be applied as diagnostic markers for cancer metastasis.