Objective: To investigate the death inducing protein (DIP) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its relations with the clinicopathological features of HCC. Methods: The mRNA and protein expressions of DIP in 40 HCC and their adjacent normal tissues were measured by RT-PCT and immunohistochemical staining respectively, and the relations of DIP protein expression with the clinicopathological features of HCC were analyzed. The DIP mRNA expressions in normal human liver cell line (LO2) and various human HCC cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B and SMMC-7721) were determined by RT-PCR method. Results: Both mRNA and protein expressions of DIP in HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in their adjacent tissues (both P<0.05), and high DIP expression was associated with larger tumor size, high Edmonson-Steiner’s classification and advanced TNM stage (r=0.419, 0.414, 0.531; all P<0.05). The DIP mRNA expressions in all HCC cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, and SMMC-7721) were significantly higher than that in LO2 (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The DIP expression is up-regulated in HCC tissue, and the high DIP expression is associated with the unfavorable clinicopathological profiles of HCC.