Mechanistic Investigation of LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 in the Malignant Phenotype of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide, with high recurrence and mortality rates. LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 has attracted considerable attention for its role in the tumor microenvironment, particularly in the regulation of HCC cell growth, invasion, and biological behavior. However, the specific mechanisms of LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 in HCC remain unclear. MethodsWe analyzed the relationship between LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 and HCC clinical prognosis using bioinformatics with GEO and TCGA datasets. We also conducted molecular biology experiments, including cell culture, real-time PCR, and Western blotting, as well as cell viability and flow cytometry analyses, to investigate the effects of LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 knockdown on HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Furthermore, we used Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to identify potential signaling pathways involving LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1. ResultsLncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC patients and significantly associated with clinical characteristics, such as gender and clinical stage. Knockdown of LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 notably inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while increasing apoptosis rates. Additionally, GSEA suggested a potential association between high LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 expression and the NOTCH signaling pathway. ConclusionThe high expression of LncRNA-ZMIZ1-AS1 in HCC likely promotes malignant phenotypes by regulating signaling pathways such as NOTCH. This finding underscores its potential as a biomarker for HCC, providing a theoretical basis for further research on its molecular mechanisms and clinical applications in liver cancer.