Effect of miR-18a-5p overexpression on cell proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells

Mayinur Dawuti; Ghunichigul Abak; Aynur Yusup; Zulhumar Abduhilil; Yimit Rehman

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-266X.2018.08.003

Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of miR-18a-5p overexpression on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer SW480 cells and its possible mechanism. Methods The colon cancer SW480 cells were randomly divided into the miR-18a-5p-eGFP group, NC-eGFP group, and blank control group. Cells in the miR-18a-5p-eGFP group and NCeGFP group were transfected with miR-18a-5p-eGFP and NC-eGFP plasmid DNA, respectively; the blank control was not transfected. After transfection for 48 h, the cell proliferation inhibition rate was detected by MTT assay, and the early apoptosis rate and late apoptosis rate in each group were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of DUSP5, FZD3, and CCND2 in each group was detected by qRT-PCR. Results At 48 h after transfection, the cell proliferation inhibition rates of miR-18a-5p-eGFP group and NC-eGFP group were (66. 02 ± 0. 51) ％ and (23. 81 ± 0. 64) ％, respectively, and significant difference was found between these two groups (P＜0. 05). The early apoptosis rate and the late apoptosis rate of the miR-18a-5p-eGFP group and NC-eGFP group were both higher than those in the blank control group, and the miR-18a-5peGFP group was higher than the NC-eGFP group (all P＜0. 05). The expression of DUSP5 and FZD3 was higher, while the expression of CCND2 was lower in the miR-18a-5p-eGFP group as compared with that of the NC-eGFP group (all P <0. 05). Conclusion Overexpression of miR-18a-5p can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of colon cancer SW480 cells by regulating the expression of target genes DUSP5, FZD3, and CCND2.