Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 18 pp 7639—7662

Figure 2. miR-125a-5p suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in HCC cells in vitro. (A) qRT-PCR showed that miR-125a-5p was up-regulated after transfection with mimics and down-regulated after transfection with inhibitors in Bel-7404 and SK-Hep1 cells. Student’s t-test, mean ± SD, ***P<0.001. (B and C) Cell proliferation ability was assessed using CCK8 and colony formation assays in transfected Bel-7404 and SK-Hep1 cells. Two-way ANOVA, mean ± SD, *P<0.05, **P<0.01. (D) Western blots were used to analyze the expression of p53, Bax, Bcl-2, and active caspase-3 after transfection in Bel-7404 and SK-Hep1 cells. (E) Immunofluorescence staining of cleaved caspase substrate was detected after transfection in Bel-7404 and SK-Hep1 cells. Scale bars: 100μm.