Fig. 3

miR-181a-5p had low expression in BCa and acts as a tumour suppressor gene in BCa cell lines EJ and UMUC3. a and b miR-181a-5p had low expression in tumour tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (***p < 0.001). c Relative expression of miR-181a-5p in SV-HUC-1 cell and BCa cell lines (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001). d and h Cell proliferation was determined in EJ and UMUC3 cell lines following transfection with miR-181a-5p-inhibitor, miR-181a-5p-NC or miR-181a-5p-mimics (**p < 0.01). e, f and g Cell migration assays were performed in EJ and UMUC3 cells using Transwell chambers (**p < 0.01). i, j and k, Wound healing assays were performed in EJ and UMUC3 cells treated with miR-181a-5p-NC or miR-181a-5p-mimics (**p < 0.01). l, m and n Colony formation assays were performed in EJ and UMUC3 cells treated with miR-181a-5p-NC or miR-181a-5p-mimics (**p < 0.01). o, p and q Cell apoptosis of EJ and UMUC3 after miR-181a-5p-NC or miR-181a-5p-mimics as determined by flow cytometry (**p < 0.01)