Abstract: Objective To analyze the effect of LINC00894 on the malignant biological behavior of liver cancer cells by regulating the microRNA(miR)-495-3p/RAS associated binding protein 23(Rab23) axis.Methods Cancer and adjacent tissues of 53 patients with liver cancer who undergoing surgery from January 2023 to November 2023 were collected.Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of LINC00894,miR-495-3p and Rab23 in tissues and in vitro cultured cells Huh7,SMMC-7721,HepG2 and L-02.Cells Huh7 were randomly separated into Huh7 group,NC group,si-LINC00894 group,anti-NC group,and anti-miR-495-3p group.CCK-8,flow cytometry and Transwell were used to compare the cell proliferation, apoptosis,migration and invasion of each group.Western blot was used to detect the expression of Rab23 and proliferation-related proteins in cells.The relationship between LINC00894 and miR-495-3p,miR-495-3p and Rab23 was analyzed and verified by dual luciferase reporter gene assay.Results The mRNA and protein expression of LINC00894 and Rab23 were higher in cancer tissues and cells of liver cancer patients,while the mRNA expression of miR-495-3p was lower(P<0.05).The apoptosis rate of si-LINC00894 group was higher than that of Huh7 group and NC group,and the absorbance at 24 h,48 h,and 72 h,numbers of migrating and invading cells,and expression of Rab23 in cells were lower than those in Huh7 group and NC group(P<0.05);the absorbance at 24 h,48 h,and 72 h,numbers of migrating and invading cells,and expression of Rab23 in cells in the anti-miR-495-3p group were higher than those in the anti-NC group and si-LINC00894 group,the apoptosis rate of cells was lower than that in the anti NC group and si-LINC00894 group(P<0.05).The luciferase activity in the WT-LINC00894+miR-495-3p group was lower than that in the WT-LINC00894+miR-NC group(P<0.05),the luciferase activity in the WT-Rab23+miR-495-3p group was lower than that in the WT-Rab23+miR-NC group(P<0.05).Conclusion Downregulation of LINC00894 can promote the expression of miR-495-3p,inhibit the expression of Rab23,and thus exert the inhibitory effect on the malignant biological behavior of liver cancer cells.

Key words: LINC00894, microRNA-495-3p/RAS-associated binding protein 23 axis, liver cancer cells, malignant biological behavior