Cervical cancer (CC) remains a highly prevalent cancer and mortality globally among women globally. The aim of the present study was to assess the ability of miR-374b to regulate CC cells through JAM-2, whilst exploring whether the underlying mechanism and its relation to the p38/ERK signaling pathway. During the study, microRNA-374b (miR-374b) was observed to have been expressed at a low level among CC tissues. Hence, a series of miR-374b mimics, miR-374b inhibitors, siRNA against JAM-2, SB202190 (an inhibitor for p38), and PD98059 (an inhibitor for ERK) were introduced to treat CC Siha cells and normal cervical Ect1/E6E7 cells. MTT, flow cytometry, scratch test, and transwell assays were applied to determine cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The inhibitory role of the p38/ERK signaling pathway was observed in the CC cells treated with miR-374b mimics or siRNA against JAM-2. miR-374b mimic exposure was found to reduce cell viability, migration, and invasion, but induce apoptosis. MiR-374b inhibitor exposure was observed to have induced effects on the CC cells in a contrary manner to those induced by that of the miR-374b mimics. The key findings of the study demonstrated that miR-374b significantly inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the blockade of the p38/ERK signaling pathway activation, as well as negatively binding to JAM-2, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for CC.

This study is designated to investigate the roles of cyclin Y (CCNY) and Wnt signaling pathway in regulating ovarian cancer (OC) cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot, MTT assay, cell scratch, and transwell test were used in our study, and transplanted tumor model was constructed on nude mice. C-Myc, cyclin D1, PFTK1, ki67, OGT, and β-catenin protein expressions in tumor tissues were detected. CCNY was significantly upregulated in OC cell lines and tissues (both P < 0.05); significant association was observed between CCNY expression and clinicopathological stage, lymph node metastasis (LNM) (P < 0.05); and the CCNY expression in stages III to IV was higher than that in stages I to II, and patients with LNM had higher CCNY expression when compared with those in patients without LNM (P < 0.05); expressions of c-Myc, cyclin D, PFTK1, ki67, and OGT were upregulated in OC tissues compared with ovarian benign tissues, suggesting that these expressions were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05); CCNY significantly exacerbated proliferation, migration, and invasion of A2780 cells; c-Myc and cyclin D1 protein expressions increased as the expression of CCNY increased (P < 0.001); β-catenin expressions in A2780 cells with over-expression of CCNY were significantly increased in the nucleus, but significantly decreased in the cytoplasm (both P < 0.05); high expressions of CCNY exacerbated the proliferation of A2780 cells in nude mice and significantly increased c-Myc, cyclin D1, PFTK1, ki67, and OGT protein expressions in tumor tissues which were transplanted into nude mice (P < 0.01). CCNY might exacerbate the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OC cells via activating the Wnt signaling pathway. Thus, this study provides a theoretical foundation for the development of therapeutic drugs that are able to cure OC by targeting CCNY.

Nitidine chloride (NC) has been demonstrated to exert anti-tumor effects on various types of tumor. However, no studies have investigated the anti‑metastatic effect of NC on ovarian cancer cells, and the underlying mechanisms have not yet been clearly established. The present study aimed to determine the effect of NC on the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Cell viability and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells were assessed by MTT assay. A scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assays were performed to detect migration and invasion of cells, respectively. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2 and 9 were detected at the mRNA and protein level following stimulation with NC. Subsequently, the expression of mitogen‑activated protein kinases was detected by western blot analysis. Finally, an inhibitor of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK) was applied to investigate the effect of NC on the expression of MMP‑2/9 as well as the migration and invasion of cells. It was found that NC suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of A2780 ovarian cancer cells. NC downregulated MMP‑2 and MMP‑9 in a dose‑ and time‑dependent manner. In addition, NC was also able to downregulate phosphorylation of ERK. Furthermore, by applying an ERK inhibitor, U0126, the effect of NC on the expression of MMP-2/9 and inhibition of cell migration and invasion was verified. Taken together, these results demonstrated that NC inhibited the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells via the ERK signaling pathway.

Ampelopsin has displayed anticancer activity in several types of cancers. However, no evidence has been reported for the direct effect of ampelopsin on ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion, and the underling mechanisms have not yet been clearly established. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of ampelopsin on the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer. Proliferation and viability of the ovarian cancer cells were detected by MTT assay. Migration and invasion of the cells were detected, respectively, by scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assay. The expression levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were detected at the protein level after stimulation with ampelopsin. Then, the expression levels of NF-κB and p-IκBα were detected with western blot analysis. Meanwhile, an inhibitor of NF-κB was used to investigate the effect of ampelopsin. Finally, the expression of Snail was also detected. Proliferation, migration and invasion of the A2780 cells were all inhibited following the application of ampelopsin. Ampelopsin upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated N-cadherin and vimentin in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Ampelopsin also exerted its ability to suppress the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB pathway. Administration of the inhibitor BAY11-7082 confirmed the roles of NF-κB in the expression of EMT markers and its transcription factor. These results demonstrated that ampelopsin inhibited EMT and reduced the invasion of ovarian cancer cells via the NF-κB/Snail pathway.