MicroRNA-383 expression regulates proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis in human glioma cells

This study aims to evaluate microRNA-383 (miR-383) expression level in glioma cells and its influences on proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle in glioma cells. miR-383 expression levels were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Thirty BALB/c-nu mice were randomly assigned into three groups: U87-miR-383 group, vector-control group, and blank group. Tumorigenicity experiment was conducted to confirm the function of miR-383. U251 and U87 glioma cells were divided into three groups: non-transfected control cells (NT group), glioma cells transfected with miR-383 (miR-383 group), and glioma cells transfected with negative sequence (NC group). Transfection efficiency was measured by qRT-PCR. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Cell migration and invasion were examined by utilizing a Transwell chamber. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The qRT-PCR results revealed that miR-383 expression was down-regulated in human glioma cells, and was negatively related to the pathological grading of glioma. The rates of tumor growth in vector-control group and blank group were significantly faster than that in U87-miR-383 group, and the average tumor volume and weight in vector-control group and blank group were increased as compared with U87-miR-383 group. Additionally, miR-383 levels in miR-383 group were higher than those in NT group and NC group. CCK-8 assay indicated lower cell viability in miR-383 group as compared with NT group and NC group. Flow cytometry implied that the percentages of cells in miR-383 group reduced, while the cell apoptosis rate enhanced compared with NT group and NC group. In conclusion, our findings suggest that miR-383 expression is down-regulated in glioma cells, inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, affecting the cell cycle, and inducing cell apoptosis.