MicroRNA-10a-5p suppresses cancer proliferation and division in human cervical cancer by targeting BDNF.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of microRNA (miR)-10a-5p in human cervical cancer. The expression level of miR-10-5p in cervical cancer lines was assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In cervical cancer HeLa and SiHa cells, miR-10-5p was ectopically overexpressed by lentiviral transduction. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was then overexpressed in HeLa and SiHa cells to evaluate its selective effect on miR-10-5p in cervical cancer modulation. The targeting of miR-10-5p on its downstream gene, BDNF, was evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Cervical cancer cell viability and cell cycle was evaluated using an MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The results indicated that miR-10-5p expression was significantly lower in cervical cancer cell lines compared with normal cells (P<0.05). Ectopic overexpression of miR-10-5p significantly inhibited cancer cell viability and induced cell cycle arrest in HeLa and SiHa cells (both P<0.05). miR-10-5p overexpression significantly reduced BDNF gene expression (P<0.05) and also reduced BDNF protein levels in cervical cancer cells compared with the control. In conclusion, the current study indicated that miR-10-5p is a cervical cancer suppressor, which regulates BDNF expression in cervical cancer.