CASP3 and colorectal carcinoma: Moreover, HOTAIR depletion led to the reduction of cell viability (Fig. 2e, f), LC3 II/LC3 I ration (Fig. 2i) and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptosis protein) protein level (Fig. 2i), and increase of cell apoptotic rate (Fig. 2g, h) and protein levels of p62 (Fig. 2i), cleaved caspase 3 (Fig. 2i), and Bax (pro-apoptosis protein) (Fig. 2i) in SW480 and HCT116 cells, suggesting that HOTAIR knockdown impaired cell viability, induced cell apoptosis, and inhibited cell autophagy in CRC.