ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of overexpression of alpha/beta hydrolase domain-containing protein 5 (ABHD5) on the invasion and migration of human colon cancer cell line HCT116 and the pathway of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR).MethodsThe expression of ABHD5 in colon cancer tissues and its relationship with clinicopathological features was analyzed by UALCAN database. HCT116 cells were cultured in vitro and transfected with ABHD5 recombinant plasmid, then they were divided into control group, negative transfection group and ABHD5 transfection group. Real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of ABHD5 mRNA in HCT116 cells. The proliferation of HCT116 cells was detected by CCK-8 method. Transwell assay was used to detect the invasion and migration of HCT116 cells. The expression of matrix metalloprotein 9 (MMP-9), E-cadherin, Snail, and AMPK/mTOR pathway proteins p-AMPK, AMPK, p-mTOR and mTOR were detected by Western blot.ResultsThe results of the UALCAN showed that compared with normal colon tissues, the expression of ABHD5 mRNA in colon cancer tissues was decreased (P<0.05), and which in the adenocarcinoma and the N1 stage was lower than that of the mucinous adenocarcinoma (P<0.05) and N0 stage (P<0.05), respectively. Compared with the control group and the negative transfection group, the expression of ABHD5 mRNA in the ABHD5 transfection group was increased (P<0.05), the proliferation inhibition rate of HCT116 cells in the ABHD5 transfection group was increased (P<0.05), the numbers of migration and invasion cells in the ABHD5 transfection group were decreased (P<0.05), the expressions of MMP-9, Snail, p-mTOR and mTOR were reduced, and the expressions of E-cadherin, p-AMPK and AMPK were increased (P<0.05).ConclusionsThe overexpression of ABHD5 can inhibit the invasion and migration of colon cancer HCT116 cells, activate AMPK, and inhibit the expression of mTOR. It suggests that ABHD5 may play a role in inhibiting colon cancer by affecting AMPK/mTOR pathway.