LAUSR

This study aimed to investigate the effects of microRNA‐184 (miR‐184) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human colon cancer cells through the regulation of C‐MYC and BCL‐2. Human colon cancer tissues were selected as case group, and adjacent normal tissues were as control group. Human colon cancer SW480 and HCT116 cells were allocated into blank, miR‐184 mimic negative control (mimic‐NC), miR‐184 inhibitor NC (inhibitor‐NC), miR‐184 mimic, and miR‐184 inhibitor groups. Flow cytometry, Annexin V/PI and MTT assay were used to examine the cell cycle, apoptosis and viability. The expressions of C‐MYC, BCL‐2 and miR‐184 were detected via immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). C‐MYC and BCL‐2 were direct targets to miR‐184. The growth of colon cancer cells in the miR‐184 mimic group was inhibited and exhibited an increase in apoptosis. Cell growth in the miR‐184 mimic group was increased in addition to the inhibition of apoptosis. Compared with miR‐184 mimic group, the expressions of C‐MYC and BCL‐2 in miR‐184 inhibitor group were increased. The expressions of C‐MYC and BCL‐2 in colon cancer tissues exhibited high levels of expression, while miR‐184 displayed relatively low levels in comparison to the adjacent normal tissues. An association was detected regarding the expressions of miR‐184, C‐MYC and BCL‐2 with the differentiation, invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. MiR‐184 expression was negatively related to C‐MYC and BCL‐2 expressions. Our study suggested that miR‐184 could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of colon cancer cells by down‐regulating expressions of C‐MYC and BCL‐2.