Fig. 5

Overexpression of HCG18 can activate the TGF-β1/SMADs pathway activity by inhibiting hsa-miR-146a-5p expression. (A) The expression level of hsa-miR-146a-5p significantly decreased after transfection with HCG18 overexpression plasmid, but could be remedied by co-transfection with hsa-miR-146a-5p mimics (n = 3, *** p < 0.001). (B) The expression level of SMAD4 mRNA significantly increased after transfection with HCG18 overexpression plasmid, but could be remedied by co-transfection with hsa-miR-146a-5p mimics (n = 3, *** p < 0.001). (C) Overexpression of HCG18 can significantly increase the protein expression levels of phospho-SMAD2, phospho-SMAD3, SMAD4, and TGF-β1, and decrease the expression levels of SMAD7, an effect which can be remedied by co-transfection of hsa-miR-146a-5p mimics (n = 3). (D) Overexpression of HCG18 significantly increase apoptosis of NPCs, an effect which can be remedied by co-transfection of hsa-miR-146a-5p mimics (n = 3). Wound healing (E, F) and CCK-8 (G) assays suggest that overexpression of HCG18 can significantly increase the migration and proliferation of NPCs, an effect which can be remedied by co-transfection of hsa-miR-146a-5p mimics (n = 3, *** p < 0.001)