lncRNA‐PDPK2P promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through the PDK1/AKT/Caspase 3 pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy with one of the worst prognoses. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) are emerging as an important regulator of gene expression and function, leading to the development of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between lncRNA and HCC and to further guide clinical therapy. lncRNA in HCC and adjacent tissues were screened, and the correlation between lncRNA‐PDPK2P expression in liver tissues and the pathological characteristics and severity of HCC was assessed. The effects of PDPK2P on HCC proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and invasion were also systematically investigated via CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry, scratch wound healing, and transwell assay, respectively. The relationship between PDPK2P and PDK1 was verified by RNA pull‐down, rescue experiments and western blot. lncRNA‐PDPK2P was highly expressed in HCC tissues with a distinct positive correlation between PDPK2P and PDK1, and the upregulation was clinically associated with a larger tumor embolus, low differentiation, and poor survival. Mechanistically, lncRNA‐PDPK2P interacted with PDK1 and promoted HCC progression through the PDK1/AKT/caspase 3 signaling pathway. lncRNA‐PDPK2P can promote HCC progression, suggesting it may be a clinically valuable biomarker and serve as a molecular target for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.