Fig. 6

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) inhibits Akt phosphorylation by ceRNA effect of miR-194-5p and lncRNA NEAT1. a The levels of lncRNA NEAT1 in the U87 glioma cells was measured by qPCR. b The U87 glioma cells were transfected with pcDNA-NEAT1 for lncRNA NEAT1 overexpression. LncRNA NEAT1 expression was measured using qPCR. c Akt and p-Akt expression was measured by Western blotting. d The putative miR-214-5p binding 3′ UTR of lncRNA NEAT1 (NEAT1-WT) and lncRNA NEAT1 mutation sequence (NEAT1-MUT). e The expression of miR-214-5p in the U87 glioma cells transfected with pcDNA-NEAT1 or negative control (pcDNA). f Luciferase reporter plasmid containing NEAT1-WT or NEAT1-MUT was transfected into the U87 glioma cells together with miR-214-5p mimic in parallel with NC. The luciferase assay was conducted. g-i FGF-2, TGF-β and VEGF in the U87 glioma cells were determined by ELISA. Each value represents the mean ± SEM of three independent triplicate experiments. ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01 vs. control, ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 vs. ISL (20 μM)-treated group. ^{^} P < 0.05, ^{^^} P < 0.01 vs. AKT2-WT plus miR-194-5p mimic, NEAT1-WT plus miR-194-5p mimic or pcDNA NEAT1 plus miR-194-5p mimic; ^& P < 0.05, ^&& P < 0.01 vs. pcDNA