miR-142-5p suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis of human osteosarcoma cell line, HOS, by targeting PLA2G16 through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway

Previous studies have revealed that miR-142-5p serves a critical role in human cancer progression. However, the biological function of miR-142-5p in osteosarcoma (OS) development remains unclear. In the present study, the role of miR-142-5p in human OS HOS cells was determined, and the underlying mechanism involved was examined. Compared with the adjacent healthy tissues, the expression level of miR-142-5p was downregulated and the expression level of group XVI phospholipase A2 (PLA2G16) protein was upregulated in human OS tissues. The aforementioned results were also indicated in human OS HOS cells when compared with human fetal osteoblastic hFOB1.19 cells. Additionally, the results demonstrated that PLA2G16 was a direct target of miR-142-5p. miR-142-5p transfection upregulated the expression level of miR-142-5p and suppressed the expression level of PLA2G16 protein in HOS cells. MTT assays indicated a time-dependent decrease by miR-142-5p transfection in the proliferation of HOS cells. 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation assays confirmed that miR-142-5p transfection inhibited DNA synthesis in HOS cells. In addition, miR-142-5p transfection increased the Caspase-3 (CASP3) activity and apoptotic rate. Western blot analysis indicated that miR-142-5p transfection reduced BCL2, apoptosis regulator expression and upregulated the expression of CASP3 and BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator in HOS cells. Furthermore, miR-142-5p transfection decreased the expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase, p-mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, and p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 proteins in HOS cells. PLA2G16 overexpression restored the expression level of p-ERK 1/2 protein, which was reduced by miR-142-5p overexpression. MTT and CASP3 activity assays indicated that restoration of PLA2G16 reversed the tumour-suppressive role of miR-142-5p transfection in HOS cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that miR-142-5p suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis in human OS HOS cells by targeting PLA2G16 through ERK1/2 signaling pathway.