miR-454-3p expression is upregulated in CC cells and is negatively correlated with ILF3-AS1. (A) StarBase predicted that miR-454-3p was the targeted miRNA of ILF3-AS1. The sequences of ILF3-AS1 WT, ILF3-AS1 MUT and miR-454-3p. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to verify the relationship between ILF3-AS1 and miR-454-3p in (B) SiHa and (C) HeLa cells. (D) RT-qPCR was performed to measure miR-454-3p expression levels in ANTs and CC tissues. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between miR-454-3p and ILF3-AS1 expression in (E) ANTs, (F) stage I/II CC tissues and (G) stage III/IV CC tissues. (H) RT-qPCR was performed to measure miR-454-3p expression levels in NCEs and CC cells. Transfection efficiency of miR-454-3p mimic in (I) SiHa and (J) HeLa cells. All experiments were repeated three times. ***P<0.001 vs. mimic control; ^^^P<0.001 vs. ANT; ###P<0.001 vs. stage I/II; &&&P<0.001 vs. NCEs; +++P<0.001 vs. blank. miR/miRNA, microRNA; CC, cervical cancer; ILF3-AS1, ILF3 divergent transcript; WT, wild-type; MUT, mutant; RT-qPCR, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR; ANT, adjacent tissue; NCE, normal cervical epithelial cell line.