Effects of CircMGAT5 Downregulation on Invasion and MMP-2 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells

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Abstract

Objective: To elucidate the regulatory effects and mechanisms of circular RNA MGAT5 (circMGAT5) on the invasive ability of human ovarian cancer (OC) cells. Methods: Human OC SKOV-3 cells were transfected with circMGAT5 interference plasmids. The expression level of circMGAT5 was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The proliferation and invasive abilities of cancer cells were determined using soft agar colony formation assay and Transwell assay, respectively. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) at mRNA and protein levels was detected by qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence, respectively. Results: CircMGAT5 level in the circMGAT5-transfected group was significantly downregulated in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (p < 0.005). Soft agar colony formation assay exhibited that the number of colonies formed in the 6.25, 12.5, and 25.0 nM siRNA groups was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.005). Transwell assay revealed that the number of cells penetrating the filter membrane in the 6.25, 12.5, and 25.0 nM siRNA groups was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.005). qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence results demonstrated that the mRNA and protein levels of MMP-2 in OC cells of the siRNA-transfected group were significantly decreased. Conclusion: circMGAT5 plays an important role in the invasion of OC cells, and its mechanism may be related to the downregulation of MMP-2 expression.

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