Figure 4.

MiR‐552 suppressed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting AJAP1. (A) Hep3B and HepG2 cells transfected with empty vectors or AJAP1 plasmids were examined using RT‐qPCR. The relative mRNA levels of AJAP1 were significantly higher in the AJAP1 groups, indicating successful transfection. ***, P < 0.001 compared to the vector group. (B) The results from Western blot experiment showed higher relative expression levels in cells of the AJAP1 group than in cells of the vector group for the both Hep3B and HepG2 cell lines. This observation verified successful AJAP1 transfection. (C) CCK8 assay results showed that in both cell lines, AJAP1 overexpression suppressed HCC cell proliferation, whereas miR‐552 + AJAP1 cotransfection had no significant influence on cell proliferation. (D) In the Transwell assay to assess cell migration, fewer cells migrated when AJAP1 was overexpressed compared with the control group; however, the mimics+AJAP1 group had almost no difference compared to the control group. (E) In the Transwell assay to assess cell invasion, there was less invasion by AJAP1‐overexpressing cells compared to the control group; however, the mimics+AJAP1 group had almost no difference. *, P < 0.05 compared to the control group