Agonists or antagonists of DRD3 respectively suppressed or enhanced the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by regulating the cAMP/ERK/CREB signaling pathway, and the corresponding results were obtained in animal experiments, indicating that DRD3 may be a molecular therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma. The gene discussed is DRD3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.