PDCL3 is a Novel Oncogenic Indicator in Hepatocellular Carcinoma using Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis and in vitro Validation

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the prevalent form of liver cancer and the third major cause of cancer-induced mortality globally. Phosducin-like protein 3 (PDCL3) is linked to the onset and evolution of malignancies, but its role and mechanism in HCC progression are still unclear. Here, to address this issue, we performed multiple bioinformatics mining and analysis through databases such as GEO and TCGA to screen for the HCC-specific targets. Differential and survival prognostic analyses revealed that PDCL3 was upregulated in HCC tissues, and was accompanied by poorer outcomes for HCC patients. PDCL3 mRNA and protein expression were significantly higher in HCC cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh7 than in normal human hepatocytes MIHA. The assays with siRNA interference showed that PDCL3 exhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion capacity of these HCC cells. The PDCL3 high-expression group presented different immune infiltration analysis and mutation features, compared with PDCL3 low-expression group. Furthermore, enrichment analysis identified that PDCL3 expression was linked to the Hippo pathway and YAP expression. Hence, we emphasized the promotive role of PDCL3 in HCC, thus providing reliable evidence for PDCL3-targeted diagnosis and therapeutic strategies.