Fig. 5

MiR-181a-5p targets β-catenin/TCF4 and inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling. a Expression levels of β-catenin and TCF4 shown as downregulated in HUVEC overexpressing miR-181a-5p from TarBase v7.0 database of DIANA TOOLS. b Schematic illustration of the predicted miR-181a-5p binding sites with the 3′-UTR of β-catenin and TCF4. c Luciferase activity assay performed in HEK293 cells co-transfected with miR-181a-5p and luciferase reporter plasmids driven by either wild type (WT) or mutant (MUT) 3′-UTR of β-catenin and TCF4 that was devoid of miR-181a-5p binding activity. d The protein levels of β-catenin and TCF4 as determined by Western blot analysis in HCT116 and SW480 cells transfected with miR-181a-5p or miR-control. e Inverse correlation between the expression levels of miR-181a-5p and those of β-catenin (r = −0.562, P < 0.001), and between the expression levels of miR-181a-5p and those of TCF4 (r = −0.518, P < 0.001) in 64 CRC samples. f TOP/FOP luciferase activity in HCT116 and SW480 cells transfected with miR-181a-5p or a miR-control. g The protein levels of Cyclin D1 and Axin2 as determined by Western blot analysis in HCT116 and SW480 cells transfected with miR-181a-5p or miR-control. *P < 0.05