AKT1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of ASX on the proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells through inhibition of the transcription factors, NF-κB and β-catenin, via inactivation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways using the cell counting kit (CCK8), flow cytometry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).