RESUMO
Objective To investigate the expression of miR-34a-5p and AKT1 genes in endometrium tissues of patients with endometriosis (EM) and their effects on migration and invasion of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Methods A total of 91 patients, undergone hysterectomy in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University from Jan. 2018 to Jun. 2019 due to benign gynecological diseases, were collected and divided into EM group (68 cases) and non-EM group (23 cases). The expressions of miR-34a-5p and AKT1 genes in endometrium tissues of patients were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. ESCs were transfected with miR-34a-5p mimic and negative control RNA (miR-NC) using liposome-3000 to construct the cell models of miR-34a-5p mimic group and miR-NC group. The cell proliferation rate was detected by CCK-8 method, and cell migration, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy ability experiments were performed to determine the effect of miR-34a-5p on ESCs' proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy. Results The positive expression rate of miR-34a-5p was lower, and of AKT1 was higher in EM group than those in non-EM group (16.2% vs. 82.6%, X2=34.323; 72.1% vs. 30.4%, X2=12.581, P<0.001). After culturing for 12, 24 and 48 h, the cell proliferation rate was higher in miR-NC group than that in miR-34a-5p mimic group (P<0.05). The cell migration ability and invasion ability were higher in miR-NC group than those in miR-34a-5p mimic group with statistically significant difference [(65.00%±5.00%) vs. (30.67%±4.04%); (88.0±8.5) vs. (32.3±6.1), t=9.179, P<0.05]. The cell apoptosis rate and the expression level of LC3 gene were obviously lower in miR-NC group than those in miR-34a-5p mimic group [(9.33%±3.51%) vs. (18.00%±2.00%); (0.19±0.04) vs. (0.39±0.03), t=8.02, P<0.05]. Conclusion miR-34a-5p may be involved in the pathogenesis of EM by targeting AKT1 genes to affect the proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy function of ESC.