miR-501-3p/APC regulate colorectal cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and sphere formation. (A) Representative images of cell cycle distribution in HCT116 cells transfected with miR-NC inhibitor or miR-501-3p inhibitor or miR-501-3p inhibitor + APC siRNA. (B) Quantitative analysis of cell cycle distribution indicated that miR-501-3p downregulation induced cell accumulation in the G1 phase, and this effect was reversed after APC silencing. (C) Representative images of sphere formation in HCT116 cells transfected with miR-NC inhibitor or miR-501-3p inhibitor or miR-501-3p inhibitor + APC siRNA. Scale bar, 20 µm. (D) Quantitative analysis of the sphere formation assay. (E) Downregulation of miR-501-3p induced cell growth arrest, and this was reversed after APC silencing. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001, with comparisons indicated by lines. miR, microRNA; APC, adenomatous polyposis coli; NC, negative control; si, small interfering.