ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the role of miR-205 in regulating epithelial-messenchymal transition (EMT) in proximal tubular cell line HK-2 cells and the underlying mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HK-2 cells transfected with miR-205 mimics or a scrambled control sequence were examined for miR-205 expressions and mRNA levels of ZEB1, E-cadherin, and α-SMA using real-time qPCR; the protein levels of ZEB1, ZEB2, E-cadherin, and α-SMA were detected with Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the ectopic expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin expression in the cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression levels of ZEB1 and ZEB2 decreased significantly (P<0.01) while E-cadherin expression was up-regulated (P<0.01) in cells transfected with miR-205 mimics. Transfection with miR-205 mimics also markedly down-regulated the expression of α-SMA (P<0.01), a marker of mesenchymal cells that play an important role in EMT of HK-2 cells. The ectopic expression of β-catenin was inhibited by miR-205 mimics in HK-2 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>miR-205 inhibits EMT in HK-2 cells by down-regulating the expression levels of ZEB1 and ZEB2.</p>