Fig 2: miRNA-199b-3p suppresses ovarian cancer cell proliferation and invasion via the CHK1/E-cadherin/EMT pathway by targeting the ZEB1 gene. CHKI, checkpoint kinase 1; E-cadherin, epithelial cadherin; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; ZEB1, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1; miRNA, microRNA.

Fig 3: ZEB1 activation reduced the effects of miRNA-199b-3p on cell apoptosis in an in vitro model of ovarian cancer. (A) mRNA expression of ZEB1. The protein expression of (B) ZEB1, (C) CHK1, (D) E-cadherin and (E) EMT was examined by (F) western blotting and statistical analysis. ##P<0.01 vs. negative control group. **P<0.01 vs. overexpressed miRNA-199b-3p. ZEB1, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1; miRNA/miR, microRNA; p-ZEB1, phosphorylated ZEB1; CHKI, checkpoint kinase 1; E-cadherin, epithelial cadherin; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; control, negative controls; miR-199b-3p, overexpressed miR-199b-3p; miR-199b-3p + ZEB1; miR-199b-3p/ZEB1 transfection.

Fig 4: miRNA-199b-3p overexpression regulates ZEB1 in an in vitro model of ovarian cancer. (A) Heat map for ZEB1 signalling. (B) The 3′-UTR of ZEB1 had a direct target site for miRNA-199b-3p. (C) Luciferase activity levels. (D) Immunofluorescence for ZEB1 (magnification, ×40). The protein expression of (E) ZEB1, (F) CHK1, (G) E-cadherin and (H) EMT was examined by (I) western blotting and statistical analysis. ##P<0.01 vs. negative controls. miRNA or miR, microRNA; ZEB1, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1; UTR, untranslated region; CHKI, checkpoint kinase 1; E-cadherin, epithelial cadherin; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; control, negative controls; miRNA-199b-3p, overexpressed miRNA-199b-3p.

Fig 5: miRNA-199b-3p downregulation regulated ZEB1 signalling in an in vitro model of ovarian cancer. The protein expression of (A) ZEB1, (B) CHK1, (C) E-cadherin and (D) EMT was examined by (E) western blotting and statistical analysis. ##P<0.01 vs. negative controls. miRNA, microRNA; ZEB1, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1; p-ZEB1, phosphorylated ZEB1; CHKI, checkpoint kinase 1; E-cadherin, epithelial cadherin; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; control, negative controls; anti-199b-3p, downregulated miRNA-199b-3p.