Downregulation of microRNA-95-3p suppresses cell growth of osteosarcoma via CDKN1A/p21 expression.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the function of microRNA-95-3p on cell growth of osteosarcoma and to investigate its mechanism. Compared to healthy controls, the serum expression of microRNA-95-3p was effectively upregulated in patients with osteosarcoma. MicroRNA-95-3p expression in patients with osteosarcoma had significant association with clinical stage. Downregulation of microRNA-95-3p expression suppressed cell growth, induced apoptosis, increased caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities and Bax/Bcl-2 protein expression in osteosarcoma cells. The anticancer effects of microRNA-95-3p on cell growth of osteosarcoma cell suppressed TGF-β and p-Smad2 protein expression, induced p21 protein expression and suppressed cyclin D1 protein expression in osteosarcoma cells. Whereas, overexpression of microRNA-95-3p increased cell growth, and inhibited apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells through TGF-β/CDKN1A/p21/cyclin D1 expression. After promotion of TGF-β, the anticancer effects of microRNA-95-3p were effectively reversed in osteosarcoma cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that downregulation of microRNA-95-3p suppresses cell growth of osteosarcoma via CDKN1A/p21 expression.