miR-181c expression in neuroblastoma children and proliferation of neuroblastoma M17 cells

Expression level of miR-181c in neuroblastoma children and its effect on proliferation of neuroblastoma M17 cells were investigated. Fifty-seven neuroblastoma patients admitted to Weifang People's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 were selected and their cancer tissues and normal adjacent tissues were obtained. The expression level of miR-181c in the tissues of neuroblastoma patients was measured. The association of miR-181c expression level with the clinical and pathological features was analyzed. Neuroblastoma M17 cells were cultured in vitro, and cells were transfected and divided into miR-181c and blank groups. MTT assay was used to observe the proliferation of cells at 24, 48 and 72 h. The results of RT-qPCR detection showed that the expression level of miR-181c was significantly lower in neuroblastoma cancer tissues than that in adjacent tissues, with a statistically significant difference (t=18.570, P<0.001). The expression of miR-181c was not associated with sex (P=0.632), but associated with age, differentiation degree, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group Staging System (INRGSS), with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Following transfection of miR-181c into M17 cells, the results of MTT assay showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in the proliferation of M17 cells at 24 h (P>0.05). After 48 h, differences between the two groups were recorded. Proliferation of M17 cells was significantly lower in the miR-181c group than that in the blank group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Age, differentiation degree, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and INRGSS staging were independent risk factors for neuroblastoma (P<0.05). miR-181c has certain clinical significance in evaluating pathogenesis, early diagnosis and treatment of patients with neuroblastoma.