Inhibition of microRNA-196a might reverse cisplatin resistance of A549/DDP non-small-cell lung cancer cell line

Jian-Huang Li, Ning Luo, Mei-Zuo Zhong, Zhi-Qiang Xiao, Jian-Xin Wang, Xiao-Yi Yao, Yun Peng, Jun Cao

We aimed to explore the possible mechanism of microRNA-196a (miR-196a) inhibition and reversion of drug resistance to cisplatin (DDP) of the A549/DDP non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect expression differences of miR-196a in the drug-resistant A549/DDP NLCLC cell line and the parental A549 cell line, and expressions of miR-196a in the A549/DDP NLCLC cell line transfected with miR-196a inhibitor (anti-miR-196a group) and the miR-196a negative control (miR-NC) group and blank group (without transfection). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test was applied in examining the cell viability of A549/DDP cell line before and after transfection. Clonogenic assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability. Flow cytometry was applied in detecting apoptosis rate of assayed tumor cell and rhodamine-123 changes in cells. Western blot was applied in detecting proteins of drug-resistant related gene in A549/DDP cell line. Significantly higher expression of miR-196a was detected in the drug-resistant A549/DDP cell line than that in the parental A549 cell line (P < 0.05). However, miR-196a expression in the anti-miR-196a group decreased obviously compared to that in the blank group and the miR-NC group (both P < 0.05); The value of IC50 in the anti-miR-196a group showed remarkably lower than that in the blank group and the miR-NC group (both P < 0.05); Rh-123 absorbing ability in the anti-miR-196a group increased 2.51 times and 2.49 times respectively compared to that in the blank group and the miR-NC group (both P < 0.05). No statistical differences in the apoptosis rate of A549/DDP cell line in the early stage were found among the three groups (all P > 0.05), but the late-stage apoptosis rate in the anti-miR-196a group was significantly higher than that in the blank group and the miR-NC group (both P < 0.05); The expressions of human multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1), multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), excision repair cross-complementation 1 (ERCC1), survivin, and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) decreased significantly while RhoE increased significantly in the anti-miR-196a group than the blank group and the miR-NC group (all P < 0.05). Inhibition of miR-196a could reverse cisplatin resistance of A549/DDP cell lines, which might relate with inhibition of drug efflux, down-regulation of drug-resistant protein expression, cell apoptosis, and cell proliferation suppression.