Figure 5.

Hsa_circ_0000515 accelerates cell proliferation, invasion, but attenuates cell apoptosis and autophagy of cervical cancer cells via miR-326 binding. Hela and SiHa cells were transfected with miR-326 mimic or inhibitor alone or co-transfected with si-hsa_circ_0000515. (A) the expression of miR-326 relative to U6 determined by RT-qPCR. *p < 0.05 vs. normal adjacent tissues; (B) Pearson correlation analysis of hsa_circ_0000515 and miR-326 expression; (C–D) EdU-stained cells (200 ×) and proliferation ability of cervical cancer cells; (E–F) cells invaded through the membrane in a Transwell system (200 ×) and the number of invaded cervical cancer cells; (G–H) apoptosis ability evaluated by flow cytometry; (I) MDC staining showing autophagosome formation (400 ×) and quantitative analysis of the autophagosome number; (J) mRNA expression of PCNA, Caspase3, Caspase9, MMP-9, TIMP-1, Beclin1, P62, LC3-I and LC3-II determined by RT-qPCR; (K–L) protein expression of PCNA, Caspase3, Caspase9, MMP-9, TIMP-1, Beclin1, P62, LC3-I and LC3-II measured by Western blot assay. *p < 0.05 vs. the mimic-NC group; #p < 0.05 vs. the inhibitor-NC group; measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation; unpaired t test was used to compare data with normal distribution and equal variance between cervical cancer (n = 63) and normal adjacent tissues (n = 40); one-way ANOVA was applied for comparison of data among multiple groups, followed by Tukey's post hoc test. The cell experiments repeated 3 times.