In the current study, we constructed HCC‐LM3 cells with ACLY overexpression and HepG2 cells with ACLY knockdown, and found that ACLY knockdown significantly impeded the proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells, while ACLY overexpression promoted HCC‐LM3 proliferation. The gene discussed is ACLY; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.