Recent advances in molecular medicine and gene therapy have offered new effective achievements in the treatment of
cancers. One of the molecular research lines for the diagnosis and treatment of
cancer is the use of
microRNAs (
miRNAs), which are single-stranded noncoding RNAs.
miRNAs are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and have a role in the growth, differentiation, cell death and
cancer development. One of the
miRNAs that showed upregulation in
breast cancer is miR-182-5p. Oncogenic features of miR-182-5p in some
cancers were confirmed. In the present study, blockage of miR-182-5p was performed in human
breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) using
locked nucleic acid (LNA)-
anti-miR. MTT (3-[4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-
diphenyl tetrazolium
bromide) assay and
annexin/
propidium iodide staining at different time points after LNA-anti-miR-182-5p transfection were accomplished. Our results showed that miR-182-5p inhibition can reduce the viability of MCF-7 cells because of apoptosis induction, probably through the upregulation of CASP9. A western blot analysis revealed that the expression of CASP9
protein is associated with miR-182-5p inhibition. The CASP9
protein acts as an initiator
caspase of apoptosis in the mitochondrial cell death pathway. Our results can be used in translational medicine for future investigation in
breast cancer and approach treatment based on antisense
therapy.