Open Access

ARTICLE

MicroRNA-21 Inhibits the Apoptosis of Osteosarcoma Cell Line SAOS-2 via Targeting Caspase 8

Bin Xu, Hehuan Xia, Junming Cao, Zhihong Wang, Yipeng Yang, Yongsheng Lin

Department of Orthopedics, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, P.R. China

Oncology Research 2017, 25(7), 1161-1168. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14841698396829

Retracted 25 July 2024

Abstract

Currently, multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to play vital roles in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-21 in osteosarcoma. The level of miR-21 in 20 pairs of osteosarcoma and corresponding adjacent tissues was monitored by qPCR. Human osteosarcoma cell line SAOS-2 was transfected with either miR-21 mimic or miR-21 inhibitor, and then cell viability, survival, and apoptosis were measured by MTT, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. A target of miR-21 was predicted by the microRNA.org database and verified in vitro by using luciferase reporter, qPCR, and Western blot analyses. Finally, cells were cotransfected with siRNA against caspase 8 and miR-21 inhibitor, and the apoptotic cell rate was determined again. Results showed that the mRNA level of miR-21 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissues compared with adjacent tissues. Overexpression of miR-21 improved cell viability and survival but suppressed apoptosis. Caspase 8 was a direct target of miR-21, and it was negatively regulated by miR-21. Moreover, miR-21 suppression attenuated caspase 8 silencing and induced the decrease in apoptosis. In conclusion, overexpression of miR-21 suppressed SAOS-2 cell apoptosis via directly targeting caspase 8.

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Keywords

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