Long noncoding RNA DSCR8 promotes the proliferation of liver cancer cells and inhibits apoptosis via the miR-22-3p/ARPC5 Axis.

Emerging evidence shows that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a vital role in the tumorigenesis and development of cancer, implying that some lncRNAs could be potential therapeutic targets. In this study, we employed Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases to construct a ceRNA network by bioinformatic analysis, and the Down syndrome critical region 8 (lncRNA_DSCR8)/miR-22-3p/actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 5 (ARPC5) axis was identified as a potential target in liver cancer (LC). Next, we found that DSCR8 is highly expressed in LC cell lines Hep3B and Huh7. In addition, sh-DSCR8 inhibits cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we certified that DSCR8 serves as function as a sponge for miR-22-3p, while ARPC5 is a target gene of miR-22-3p, and the functions of DSCR8 promoting LC cell proliferation could be rescued by miR-22-3p. This study suggests that lncRNA_DSCR8 promotes LC progression and inhibits its apoptosis by regulating the miR-22-3p/ARPC5 axis, signifying that DSCR8 could be a novel therapeutic target for LC.