HAUS5 is a novel prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma that is associated with poor clinical outcomes

Abstract Background The Augmin Like Complex Subunit 5 (HAUS5) is involved in microtubule generation and centrosome assembly. Loss of HAUS5 function leads to loss of centrosome integrity, ultimately promoting tumor formation by causing functional defects and chromosome dislocation in the bipolar spindle. However, the role of HAUS5 in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Methods and results This research dealt with investigating the role of HAUS5 in HCC and reported that HAUS5 is over-expressed in HCC tissues and cells. It was also found that its high expression levels were a crucial risk factor that affected HCC patients’ survival status. Correlation analysis depicted that HAUS5 expression was linked to immune infiltration in HCC. A nomogram model with good predictive capability with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.969 was constructed by integrating the clinical features of HCC and HAUS5 expression levels. HAUS5 knockdown remarkably attenuated the migration abilities and invasiveness of HCC cells. Conclusion HAUS5 is over-expressed in HCC tissues and could be used as a novel prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC.