MicroRNA-184 inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of human colon cancer SW480 and HCT116 cells by downregulating C-MYC and BCL-2.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of microRNA-184 (miR-184) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human colon cancer cells through the regulation of C-MYC and BCL-2. Human colon cancer tissues were selected as case group, and adjacent normal tissues were as control group. Human colon cancer SW480 and HCT116 cells were allocated into blank, miR-184 mimic negative control (mimic-NC), miR-184 inhibitor NC (inhibitor-NC), miR-184 mimic, and miR-184 inhibitor groups. Flow cytometry, Annexin V/PI and MTT assay were used to examine the cell cycle, apoptosis and viability. The expressions of C-MYC, BCL-2 and miR-184 were detected via immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). C-MYC and BCL-2 were direct targets to miR-184. The growth of colon cancer cells in the miR-184 mimic group was inhibited and exhibited an increase in apoptosis. Cell growth in the miR-184 mimic group was increased in addition to the inhibition of apoptosis. Compared with miR-184 mimic group, the expressions of C-MYC and BCL-2 in miR-184 inhibitor group were increased. The expressions of C-MYC and BCL-2 in colon cancer tissues exhibited high levels of expression, while miR-184 displayed relatively low levels in comparison to the adjacent normal tissues. An association was detected regarding the expressions of miR-184, C-MYC and BCL-2 with the differentiation, invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. MiR-184 expression was negatively related to C-MYC and BCL-2 expressions. Our study suggested that miR-184 could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of colon cancer cells by down-regulating expressions of C-MYC and BCL-2.