Repressive effect of miRNA-363 via SOX4 on human osteosarcoma cell growth and apoptosis

AIM: To detect the expression of miRNA-363 and SOX4 in osteosarcoma tissues and to investigate the effect of miRNA-363 on the viability and apoptosis of human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63.METHODS: Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression level and the relationship of miRNA-363 and SOX4 mRNA in the osteosarcoma tissues and the corresponding paratumorous tissues collected from 63 patients. The expression levels of miRNA-363 and SOX4 in osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 after transfected with miRNA-363 mimics were measured. The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to monitor the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis. The changes of SOX4 and miRNA-363 expression levels in the MG-63 cells after transfection with SOX4 siRNA or pcDNA/SOX4 was detect by real-time PCR.RESULTS: The expressed level of miRNA-363 was lower, and the expression level of SOX4 was higher in the osteosarcoma tissues than those in the adjacent normal tissues. A significantly negative correlation between the expression levels of miRNA-363 and SOX4 was observed. The expression of miRNA-363 in the MG-63 cells after transfection with miRNA-363 mimics was significantly up-regulated, while the expression of SOX4 in the MG-63 cells was significantly down-regulated, with significant difference as compared with the cells transfected with miRNA-NC and control cells. The viability of MG-63 cells was inhibited, the cell cycle was arrested in G₀/G₁ phase, and the cell apoptosis was increased by transfection with miRNA-363 mimics. The relative protein expression levels of SOX4 in SOX4 siRNA group and pcNDA/SOX4 group were significantly different from those in negative control group, but the relative expression levels of miRNA-363 had no significant difference. Over-expression of SOX4 restored the viability of the MG-63 cells reduced by miR-363.CONCLUSION: The expression level of miRNA-363 is low in human osteosarcoma tissue. miRNA-363 may inhibits the viability of osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 and promotes cell apoptosis in vitro via inhibiting the SOX4 expression.