ABSTRACT
@# Objective: To explore the mechanism of miR-429 targeting PTEN to affect capecitabine-resistance in pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells though the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Methods: Capecitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1/CAP was constructed, and the expression of miR-429 and PTEN were detected by quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. The effect of miR-429 knock-down on cell proliferation viability, apoptosis and capecitabine-resistance was measured by colony formation assay, CCK-8 assay andAnnexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry assay, respectively. Subsequently, dual luciferase reporter assay verified that PTEN was a target gene of miR-429. Furthermore, the effect of miR-429 on PTEN-PI3K/ AKT signaling pathway was measured by Western blotting. Results: miR-429 was found to be up-regulated in PANC-1 cells and PANC-1/CAP cells compared with the non-malignant pancreatic ductal cell line (HPDE6-C7) (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, silencing of miR-429 significantly decreased cell proliferation viability, capecitabine-resistance and enhanced apoptosis of PANC-1/CAP cells; additionally, dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed that PTEN was a target of miR-429 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Suppression of miR-429 up-regulated PTEN and blocked the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to decrease cell proliferation viability and further reduce the capecitabine-resistance of PANC-1/CAP cells (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion: miR-429/PTEN-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway plays a certain role in regulating the capecitabine-resistance of pancreatic cancer, and inhibition of miR-429 expression may reverse the resistance of PANC-1/CAPto capecitabine.