C1QTNF1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: By applying gain-of-function approach, we demonstrated that promoted expression of C1QTNF1-AS1 could restrain the proliferation, migration and invasion and enhance the apoptosis of HCC cells by suppressing miR-221-3p, which mains the deregulation of C1QTNF1-AS1 may affect HCC progression by acting as sponges for miR-221-3p.