Transarterial　chemoembolization　(TACE)　is　the　standard　of　care　for　treatment　of　intermediate　hepatocellular　carcinoma　(HCC),　however,　key　molecules　involved　in　HCC　cell　survival　and　tumor　metastasis　post-TACE　remain　unclear.　CD147　is　a　member　of　the　immunoglobulin　superfamily　that　is　overexpressed　on　the　surface　of　HCC　cells　and　is　associated　with　malignant　potential　and　poor　prognosis　in　HCC　patients.　In　this　study,　using　an　Earle＇s　Balanced　Salt　Solution　medium　culture　model　that　mimics　nutrient　deprivation　induced　by　TACE,　we　investigated　the　regulation　of　CD147　expression　on　HCC　cells　under　starvation　conditions　and　its　functional　effects　on　HCC　cell　death.　During　early　stages　of　starvation,　the　expression　of　CD147　was　considerably　upregulated　in　SMMC7721,　HepG2　and　HCC9204　hepatoma　cell　lines　at　the　protein　levels.　Downregulation　of　CD147　by　specific　small　interfering　RNA　(siRNA)　significantly　promoted　starvation-induced　cell　death.　In　addition,　CD147　siRNA-transfected　SMMC7721　cells　demonstrated　significantly　increased　levels　of　both　apoptosis　and　autophagy　as　compared　to　cells　transfected　with　control　siRNA　under　starvation　conditions,　whereas　no　difference　was　observed　between　the　two　treatment　groups　under　normal　culture　conditions.　Furthermore,　silencing　of　CD147　resulted　in　a　remarkable　downregulation　of　phosphorylated　mammalian　target　of　rapamycin　(p-mTOR)　in　starved　SMMC7721　cells.　Finally,　the　combined　treatment　of　starvation　and　anti-CD147　monoclonal　antibody　exhibited　a　synergistic　HCC　cell　killing　effect.　Our　study　suggests　that　upregulation　of　CD147　under　starvation　may　reduce　hepatoma　cell　death　by　modulating　both　apoptosis　and　autophagy　through　mTOR　signaling,　and　that　CD147　may　be　a　novel　potential　molecular　target　to　improve　the　efficacy　of　TACE.