Figure 5. miR-16 directly targeted VEGF 3′UTR and down-regulates its expression.

(A) An inverse relationship between the expression of miR-16 and VEGF was found in clinical decidual specimens of RSA patients (scale bar = 50 μm). (B)Predicted miR-16 target sequences in the 3′UTR of VEGF are shown (solid lines indicate matching base pairs and crosses represent non-matching base pairs). (C,D) Western blotting analysis of HTR-8/SVNEO and JEG-3 cells following miRNA mimic/inhibitor transfection for 48 h. (E,F) HTR-8/SVNEO and JEG-3 cells were co-transfected with the luciferase reporter plasmid carrying the wild type/mutant binding sequences of VEGF and the miRNA mimic/inhibitor. A dual-luciferase reporter system analysis was performed. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD. *P < 0.05 vs. control mimic/inhibitor group, n = 5.