miR-300 impacts on proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle via regulating LEF-1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. (A) MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation in Huh-7 cells co-transfected with LEF-1 vector (LEF-1) and miR-300 mimic (miR-300), as well as Hep3B cells co-transfected with LEF-1 shRNA and miR-300 inhibitor (n=3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. control). (B) The colony-forming ability was assessed using the colony formation assay. Representative images are shown. (C) The apoptosis rate was evaluated in Huh-7 and Hep3B cells by flow cytometric analysis following co-transfection with LEF-1 vector and miR-300/LEF-1 shRNA and miR-300 inhibitor (n=3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01). (D) The DNA content was analyzed using flow cytometry, and the percentage of cells in the G0/G1, S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle was calculated (n=3; *P<0.05, **P<0.01). OD, optical density; miR, microRNA; LEF-1, lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1; shRNA, short hairpin RNA; 7-AAD, 7-aminoactinomycin D; PE, phycoerythrin.