MTOR and neoplasm: Akt and mTOR are both downstream targets of VEGFA, subsequently, we further examine whether ZFAS1 knockdown inhibited CRC tumor initiation and progression through inhibited EMT process and VEGFA/VEGFR2/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and our data showed ZFAS1 knockdown could significantly reduce the expression of VEGFA and changed EMT-related markers, reduced the activity of VEGFR2 and downstream Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, while antagomiR-150-5p and VEGFA both could restore the expression of VEGFA, the hallmarks of the EMT, the activity of VEGFR2 and downstream Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.