Effects of miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 on proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 on the biological function of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells A549. Paired NSCLC and adjacent tissues were obtained from 50 NSCLC patients admitted to Shandong Provincial Chest Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University (Jinan, China) from April 2015 to May 2018. The expression levels of miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were assigned into the blank group (without transfection), negative control (NC) group (transfected with miRNA NC), and the transfected groups miR-218-1-3p mimic and miR-149 mimic groups. Proliferation and cell growth were determined by CCK-8 assay and cell invasion ability in vitro was assessed by Transwell assay. Flow cytometry was carried out for the detection of cell apoptosis. RT-qPCR results showed that the expression levels of miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 in NSCLC tissues were significantly lower than those in adjacent tissues (P<0.001). At 48 and 72 h, the cell growth of the A549 cells in the miR-218-1-3p mimic and miR-149 mimic groups was significantly lower than that in the NC and blank groups (P<0.05). The number of invasive cells in the miR-218-1-3p mimic and miR-149 mimic groups was significantly lower than that in the NC and blank groups (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate of A549 cells in the miR-218-1-3p mimic and miR-149 mimic groups was significantly higher than that in the NC and blank groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, upregulation of miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of A549 cells in NSCLC, thereby promoting the apoptosis of A549 cells. Thus, miR-218-1-3p and miR-149 can be used as new molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC.

Keywords: A549 cells; apoptosis; miR-149; miR-218-1-3p; non-small cell lung cancer; proliferation.

Figure 1.

A549 cell growth after miR-218-1-3p upregulation. At 24 h, there was no significant difference in the growth of A549 cells among the miR-218-1-3p mimic, NC and blank groups (P>0.05); whereas at 48 and 72 h, the growth of A549 cells in the miR-218-1-3p mimic group was significantly lower than that in the NC and blank groups (P<0.05). Intra-group comparisons showed significant differences in the growth of A549 cells at 24, 48 and 72 h in the miR-149 mimic, NC and blank groups (P<0.05). Inter-group comparisons at the same time point: *P<0.05, compared with the miR-218-1-3p mimic group. Intra-group comparisons between different time points: ^aP<0.05, compared with the growth of A549 cells at 24 h; ^bP<0.05, compared with the growth of A549 cells at 48 h. NC, negative control.

Figure 2.

A549 cell growth after miR-149 upregulation. At 24 h, the growth of A549 cells among the miR-149 mimic, NC and blank groups showed no significant difference (P>0.05); whereas, at 48 and 72 h, the growth of A549 cells in miR-149 mimic group was significantly lower than that in the NC and blank groups (P<0.05). Intra-group comparisons showed significant differences in the growth of A549 cells at 24, 48 and 72 h in the miR-149 mimic, NC and blank groups (P<0.05). Inter-group comparisons at the same time point: *P<0.05, compared with the miR-218-1-3p mimic group. Intra-group comparisons between different time points: ^aP<0.05, compared with the growth of A549 cells at 24 h; ^bP<0.05, compared with the growth of A549 cells at 48 h. NC, negative control.