SLCO4A1-AS1 affected the viability and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells through miR-149-5p. (a) The expression of miR-149-5p in SNU-16 cells of control, mimic-control, mimic, mimic + pc-SLCO4A1-AS1, and pc-SLCO4A1-AS1 groups was detected by RT-qPCR. (b) The expression of miR-149-5p in AGS cells of control, inhibitor-control, inhibitor, inhibitor + si-SLCO4A1-AS1, and si-SLCO4A1-AS1 groups was detected by RT-qPCR. (c, d) miR-149-5p mimic inhibited cell viability, while inhibitor was the opposite, and miR-149-5p partially reversed the effect of SLCO4A1-AS1, as determined by CCK-8. (e–h) Upregulation of miR-149-5p promoted apoptosis, but downregulation was the opposite, and miR-149-5p partially reversed the role of SLCO4A1-AS1, as detected by flow cytometry. Each experiment was repeated three times independently. ∗P < 0.05 and ∗∗P < 0.01 versus mimic-control; &P < 0.05 and &&P < 0.01 versus mimic; △P < 0.05 and △△P < 0.01 versus pc-SLCO4A1-AS1; ^P < 0.05 and ^^P < 0.01 versus control; #P < 0.05 versus inhibitor-control; §P < 0.05 versus inhibitor; ‡&P < 0.05 and ‡‡P < 0.01 versus si-SLCO4A1-AS1.