Abstract:
Objective:To explore effect of down-regulating miR-221 expression on malignant biologic behaviors of cervical cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods: Liposome 2000 transfection method was used to transfect miR-221 inhibitor and negative control nucleotide fragment (NC) into cervical cancer HeLa, C33A, SiHa and Caski line cells. Protein expression levels of ARIDIA (target protein of miR-221), cleaved caspase 3, caspase 3, cleaved PARP, PARP, MMP-9, MMP-13 and TIMP-3, as well as expression levels of miR-221, MMP-9, MMP-13, TIMP-3 mRNAs were respectively detected by Western blotting and Real-time PCR assays. Proliferation of the cells, clone formation rate and apoptosis rate of the cells were separately determined by MTT assay, clone formation experiment and flow cytometry assay plus AnnexinV-FITC/PI staining.Results: Comparing with the control group, (1) expression amounts of miR-221 in HeLa, CC3A, SiHa and Caski cells which transfected with miR-221 inhibitor were significantly decreased (\[0.23±0.01\], \[0.34±002\], \[0.34±0.01\] and \[0.37±0.02\], F=25.44, P<0.05); (2) survival rates of the transfected cells gradually decreased with increase of culture time, and had a time dependent effect, survival rates of the cells were significantly lower than that of the negative control group after culture for 48 h (F=37.42, P<0.05); clone formation rates of the cells obviously reduced (F=43.58, P<0.05); as culture for 72 h, apoptosis rates of the cells were (27.92±3.47)% for HeLa, (20.84±4.31)% for C33A, (18.81±2.18)% for SiHa and (19.86±3.82)% for Caski, obviously higher than that of the control group (F=54.78,P<0.05); (3) after expression of miR-221 in the transfected cells was down-regulated, expressions of cleaved caspase 3, cleaved PARP and TIMP-3 proteins were promoted, expression of MMP-13 protein was inhibited, expression of MMP-13 mRNA was depressed (t=37.5, P<0.05), and expression of TIMP-3 mRNA was increased (t=46.3, P<0.05). Conclusion: Down-regulation of miR-221 could inhibit malignant biologic behaviors of cervical cancer cells, its mechanism might be associated with activation of caspase signaling pathway which could induce apoptosis of the cancer cells and related with regulating and controlling expressions of MMP-13 and TIMP-3 proteins.