Increased long noncoding RNA LASP1‐AS is critical for hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis via upregulating LASP1

Abstract Aberrant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have been proved to be associated with the many types of malignant tumors (including hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]). In this study, a lncRNAs and mRNAs microarray analysis was performed in three pairs of HCC patitents’ tumor. We found lncRNA LIM and SH3 protein 1 antisense (LASP1‐AS) and its sense‐cognate gene LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) were upregulated in HCC and both are correlated with poorer prognosis and lower survival of HCC patients. Meanwhile, the expression of LASP1‐AS correlated positively with LASP1 expression in HCC tissues. LASP1‐AS promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of HCC in vitro and vivo by enhancing LASP1 expression. Our study explored lncRNA LASP1‐AS as an oncogene in HCC and promoted proliferation and metastasis capabilities of HCC via increasing the expression of its sense‐cognate gene LASP1. LncRNA LASP1‐AS might be a potential valuable prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target of HCC.