The effect of baicalein on Wnt/β-catenin pathway and miR-25 expression in Saos-2 osteosarcoma cell line

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy that occurs frequently in children and adolescents. Baicalein, a flavonoid that has attracted great attention in recent years with its strong antitumor activity, shows a wide range of biological and pharmaceutical effects.MicroRNAs have been found to be involved in many critical processes in cancers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of baicalein and miR-25 on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of osteosarcoma cell line Saos-2.

Cell viability was assessed, and qRT-PCR and Western blot were performed to study the effects of baicalein on expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-realted genes (β-catenin, GSK-3β, and Axin2) of Saos-2 cells.

Our results indicated that baicalein can inhibit the proliferation (IC50 value 35 μM), regulate Wnt/β-catenin pathway and also increase miR-25 expression of Saos-2. Baicalein and also miR-25 decreased the expression of β-catenin and Axin2, while increasing the expression of GSK-3β. Down regulation of miR-25 decreased the expression of GSK-3β, while β-catenin and Axin2 expression increased.

These findings demonstrate that baicalein may target genes related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by regulating miR-25 expression and may be a potential Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor for osteosarcoma therapy.