Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer accounting for ~80% of lung cancer cases. According to novel research, numerous microRNAs (miRs) have been suggested to function as important regulators of cancer. In addition, the expression of miR-140-5p is decreased in patients with NSCLC. Therefore, it is important to further elucidate the role of miR-140-5p in NSCLC. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used in order to investigate the expression of miR-140-5p in NSCLC tissues and matched normal tissues and to determine miR-140-5p levels following transfection with mimics into A549 lung cancer cells. Targetscan software was used to predict the oncogene target of miR-140-5p. This analysis revealed that YES proto-oncogene 1 (YES1) includes a target site for miR-140-5p binding. The results revealed that YES1 is a potential target gene of miR-140-5p, and this was further confirmed by the results of luciferase reporter assays, which demonstrated that miR-140-5p directly targeted the predicted binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of YES1. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry assays were performed to determine the levels of cell viability and apoptosis. Western blot assays was performed to investigate the expression levels of YES1 and proteins associated with apoptosis in A549 cells following transfection. The results revealed that miR-140-5p expression was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with matched normal tissues. The expression of miR-140-5p was significantly increased following transfection with miR-140-5p mimics. The results of CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays indicated that miR-140-5p inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR revealed that YES1 and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) mRNA and protein expression levels were markedly decreased in A549 cells, while Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) and caspase-3 expression levels increased significantly following transfection with miR-140-5p mimics compared with the negative control group. In conclusion, miR-140-5p may induce apoptosis in A549 cells by targeting YES1 and regulating the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3.