MiR-200a and miR-200b target PTEN to regulate the endometrial cancer cell growth in vitro

OBJECTIVE: To study whether miR-200a and miR-200b target PTEN gene expression to regulate the endometrial cancer cell growth in vitro. METHODS: Endometrial cancer cells ECC-1 were cultured and transfected with the miR-200a and miR-200b mimics and inhibitors as well as the negative control mimics and inhibitors, and then the cell proliferation activity as well as the expression of PTEN and downstream genes in cells was determined; after transfection of miR-200a and miR-200b mimics as well as PTEN-3'UTR luciferase report gene plasmids, the fluorescence activity of luciferase reporter gene was determined. RESULTS: 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after transfection, the cell proliferation activity of miR-200a mimics group and miR-200b mimics group were significantly higher than those of NC mimics group while the cell proliferation activity of miR-200a inhibitor group and miR-200b inhibitor group were significantly lower than those of NC inhibitor group; 48 h after transfection, PTEN expression in cells and PTEN-3'UTR luciferase reporter gene fluorescence activity of miR-200a mimics group and miR-200b mimics group were significantly lower than those of NC mimics group while p-PI3K and p-Akt expression were significantly higher than those of NC mimics group; PTEN expression in cells and PTEN-3'UTR luciferase reporter gene fluorescence activity of miR-200a inhibitor group and miR-200b inhibitor group were significantly higher than those of NC inhibitor group while p-PI3K and p-Akt expression were significantly lower than those of NC inhibitor group. CONCLUSION: miR-200a and miR-200b can promote the endometrial cancer cell growth in vitro by targeted inhibition of PTEN gene expression.