Knockdown of CCAT1 suppresses the viability, migration and invasiveness of SW480 cells. SW480 cells were transfected with CCAT1-shRNA, control-shRNA or CCAT1-shRNA+miR-218 inhibitor for 48 h. (A) Cell viability was detected using an MTT assay. Cell migration was subsequently determined using a Transwell assay. (B) Cell images and (C) the number of migratory cells are presented. Invasion was detected using a Transwell assay with Matrigel. Results are presented as (D) cell images and (E) the number of invasive cells. (F) Western blotting was performed to measure the protein expression of VEGF in SW480 cells transfected with CCAT1-shRNA, control-shRNA, or CCAT1-shRNA + miR-218 inhibitor. (G) Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of VEGF in SW480 cells transfected with CCAT1-shRNA, control-shRNA or CCAT1-shRNA + miR-218 inhibitor. Data were presented as the mean ± SD. **P<0.01 vs. control; ##P<0.01 vs. CCAT1-shRNA. Scale bars, 400 µm. CCAT1, colon cancer associated transcript 1; shRNA, short hairpin RNA; miR, microRNA; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.