Effects of miR-203a-5p on Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Cell Cycle of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells by Targeting FABP4

QI Shanshan¹, WU Jisheng¹, HUO Zhigang¹, WEI Yufang¹, WANG Xuxu¹, JIA Zhenyu¹, YANG Linjie², BI Junfang³*

(¹Department of Oncology, Shijiazhuang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050051, China; ²Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China; 3Department of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine, Shijiazhuang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050051, China)

Abstract:

This study was to investigate the effects of miR-203a-5p on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells by targeting FABP4. K562 cells were assigned into control group, miR-NC group, miR-203a-5p mimic group, miR-203a-5p mimic+pc-NC group, and miR-203a-5p mimic+pc-FABP4 group. qRT-PCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression levels of miR-203a-5p and FABP4 in cells. MTT assay and Edu staining were applied to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was applied to detect cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Western blot was applied to detect the expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3, PCNA, and FABP4 proteins in cells. Luciferase activity experiment verified the relationship between miR-203a-5p and FABP4. The nude mouse transplant tumor experiment was applied to detect the effect of upregulating miR-203a-5p expression on tumor growth. Compared with the control group and miR-NC group, the expression level of miR-203a-5p, apoptosis rate, G0/G1 phase cell ratio, the protein expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 in K562 cells were higher in the miR-203a-5p mimic group, the expression level of FABP4 mRNA, D490 (24, 48 h) values, cell proliferation rate, proportions of S and G2/M phase cells, the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, PCNA, and FABP4 were lower (P<0.05). Compared with the miR-203a-5p mimic+pc-NC group, the apoptosis rate, G0/G1 phase cell ratio, the protein expression levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 in K562 cells were lower in the miR-203a-5p mimic+pc-FABP4 group, the expression level of FABP4 mRNA, D490 (24, 48 h) values, cell proliferation rate, proportions of S and G2/M phase cells, the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, PCNA, and FABP4 were higher (P<0.05). There was a targeted relationship between miR-203a-5p and FABP4. Upregulation of miR-203a-5p expression could inhibit tumor growth in nude mice and reduce the expression levels of FABP4 and PCNA (P<0.05). This study concluded that up-regulation of miR-203a-5p expression could inhibit FABP4 expression, thereby inhibiting K562 cell proliferation, blocking cell cycle, and promoting cell apoptosis.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2025.04.0006