Fig. 4: Overexpression of miR-660-5p promotes the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

L9981 cells transfected with NC or miR-660-5p Mimics (LV-GFP or LV-miR-660-5p), LnM and BoM cells transfected with NC or miR-660-5p Inhibitor as described in the “Methods”. A Effect of miR-660-5p aberrant expression on lung cancer cells proliferation was detected by colony formation assays (n = 3). B Effect of miR-660-5p aberrant expression on cell viability in L9981, LnM, and BoM cells was determined by CCK-8 assay. C Effect of miR-660-5p aberrant expression on cell migration and invasion was measured in L9981, LnM, and BoM cells by Transwell assays. D Representative bioluminescence images of popliteal metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) in the popliteal LN metastasis model generated by 2 different groups of cells (n = 5 per group). E Representative image of the popliteal LN metastasis model and dissected popliteal LNs (n = 5 per group). F Image of the tumor-bearing nude mice by different groups of cells (n = 5 per group). G The growth of tumors in the LV-GFP and LV-miR-660-5p groups were measured every 3 days, and tumor growth curves were calculated. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the tumor volumes measured in 6 mice is shown. H Representative image of the subcutaneous tumors in the LV-GFP and LV-miR-660-5p groups. I Histogram showing the tumor weights in the LV-GFP and LV-miR-660-5p groups after surgical dissection. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.