CASP8 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In the present study, we demonstrate that caspase 3/8 protein levels are significantly reduced in TRAIL-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells; by using online tools, miR-24 and miR-221 are predicted to target caspase 8 and caspase 3, respectively, to inhibit their expression; in TRAIL-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells, miR-24/miR-221 affect TRAIL resistance through direct targeting caspase 8 and caspase 3, respectively; in addition, long non-coding RNA CASC2 affects TRAIL resistance through direct targeting miR-24/miR-221.