MicroRNA-379 inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells by targetting EIF4G2

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignant mesenchymal neoplasm amongst adolescents. The aim of the present study was to explore the various modes of action that miR-379 has on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human OS cells. miR-379 achieves this by targetting eukaryotic initiation factor 4GII (EIF4G2). Human OS cell lines U2OS and MG-63 were selected and assigned into blank, miR-379 mimics, miR-379 mimic negative control (NC), miR-379 inhibitors, miR-379 inhibitor NC, EIF4G2 shRNA, control shRNA, and miR-379 inhibitor + EIF4G2 shRNA group. The miR-379 expression and EIF4G2 mRNA expression were detected utilising quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and the EIF4G2 protein expression using Western blotting. MTT assay, scratch test, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were performed to determine the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle, respectively. In comparison with the miR-379 mimic NC group, the miR-379 mimics group had decreased EIF4G2 expression; the miR-379 inhibitors group indicated an increased EIF4G2 expression. Compared with the control shRNA group, the EIF4G2 expression was lower in the EIF4G2 shRNA group and the miR-379 expression was dropped in the miR-379 inhibitor + EIF4G2 shRNA group. The proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of OS cells were reduced in the miR-379 mimics and EIF4G2 shRNA groups. The percentage of OS cells at the G0/G1 stage was increased, and the percentage at the S-stage was decreased in the miR-379 mimics and EIF4G2 shRNA groups. miR-379 may inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells through the down-regulation of EIF4G2.