AKT1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Through kinase activity assays and qRT-PCR, we ultimately found that lncZEB1-AS1 can enhance PI3K-AKT signaling in order to upregulate MMP2, MMP7, and MMP9 in HCC cells, thereby promoting tumor metastasis, consistent with prior reports highlighting the importance of AKT signaling in HCC onset and progression 35-41.