PTEN is a direct target of miR-29b. (A) Putative binding sites of between miR-29b and PTEN. (B) hADSCs were co-transfected with lucif-erase reporter constructs containing wt or mut PTEN 3′-UTR and agomir-29b, agomir NC, antagomir-29b, and antagomir NC and luciferase activity was then detected (n=3). Data are represented as the means ± SD of 3 independent experiments. **P<0.01 vs. agomir NC group; ##P<0.01 vs. antagomir NC group. (C) Western blot analysis was used to assess the protein expression levels of PTEN in hADSCs following transfection with agomir-29b, agomir NC, antagomir-29b, and antagomir NC (n=3). Data are represented as the means ± SD of 3 independent experiments. **P<0.01 vs. agomir NC group; ##P<0.01 vs. antagomir NC group. (D) Western blot analysis was used to assess the protein expression levels of PTEN in hADSCs at days 7, 14 and 21 post-induction. Data are represented as the means ± SD of 3 independent experiments. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. bM group. PTEN, phosphatase and tensin homolog; hADSC, human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cell; bM, basal mesenchymal stem cell culture medium.