Fig 9.

Targeting of SOCS1 and CASP3 3′-UTR by let-7, as well as RASSF1A, TIMP3 and NLK by miR-181a. Firefly luciferase activity was normalized to Renilla luciferase activity for each sample. Top: The sequences of the mutated target sites of SOCS1, CASP3, RASSF1A, TIMP3 and NLK with mutations to disrupt base pairing between the specific binding sites and microRNAs are also displayed. Bottom: The decreases in relative firefly luciferase with pMIR-WT-luc compared with the pMIR- MUT-luc constructs in let-7a and let-7b overexpressed cells (A), as well as miR-181a overexpressed cells (B) confirms that the SOCS1 and CASP3 (RASSF1A, TIMP3 and NLK) complementary sequence in the 3′-UTR and the genes are the direct targets of modulation by let-7a and let-7b (miR-181a). The data represent the mean and standard errors from four independent transfections. *P < 0.05 relative to respective controls.