• Ming Ouyang, Guiqin Liu, Cheng Xiong, and Jing Rao.
• Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, China. Electronic address: taohe792@163.com.
• Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2022 Jan 1; 77: 100026.

ObjectivesAccumulating research have reported that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in Retinoblastoma (RB). Nonetheless, the function and underlying mechanism of miR-181a-5p in RB remain ambiguous.MethodsThe relative expression levels of miR-181a-5p and NRAS mRNA were detected by quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). RB cell proliferation was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5'-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assays. Transwell assays and flow cytometry were performed to detect the migration, invasion, and apoptosis of RB cells. The interaction between miR-181a-5p and NRAS was explored using luciferase experiments, western blotting, and qRT-PCR.ResultsmiR-181a-5p expression was found to be decreased in RB tissues and cell lines, and its expression was correlated with unfavorable pathological features of the patients. In vitro experiments revealed that miR-181a-5p reduced RB cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while enhancing apoptosis. Further research confirmed that NRAS is a direct target of miR-181a-5p. miR-181a-5p inhibited NRAS expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Co-transfection of pcDNA-NRAS or NRAS small interfering RNA (siRNA) reversed the effects of miR-181a-5p mimics or miR-181a-5p inhibitors on RB cells.ConclusionmiR-181a-5p was significantly downregulated during the development of RB, and it suppressed the malignant behaviors of RB cells by targeting NRAS.Copyright © 2022 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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