To explore the effect of diosgenin on colorectal cancer cells and its possible mechanism.

Human colorectal cancer cells SW480 and human normal colonic epithelial cells CCD-841CoN were cultured in vitro. RT-PCR was used to detect miR-145-5p expression, KLF5 andHIF-1α mRNA expression. Western blotting was used to detect KLF5 and HIF-1α protein expression; and CCK-8 was used to detect cell viability. Colony formation test was used to detect cell proliferation. Transwell test was used to detect cell migration and invasion, and luciferase report test to detect the regulatory effect of miR-145-5p on KLF5 expression.

Compared with the normal group, the mRNA and protein expressions of KLF5 and HIF-1α in cancer cell group were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05), miR-145-5pexpression was significantly down-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the normoxia group, the mRNA and protein expressions of KLF5 and HIF-1α in the hypoxia group were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05). Diosgenin (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 μmol/L) could inhibit the vitality of SW480 cells (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein expression of KLF5 and HIF-1α, the number of cell clones and the number of invasive and migration SW480 cells in the diosgenin group were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05). Up-regulation of KLF5 reversed the effect of diosgenin on SW480 cells and up-regulated the expression of HIF-1α (P<0.05); miR-145-5p targeted regulation of KLF5. Compared with the control group, the expression of miR-145-5p in the diosgenin group was significantly up-regulated (P<0.05), and the expression of KLF5 protein was down-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the diosgenin group, themiR-145-5p expression in the diosgenin group + miR-145-5p inhibitor group was significantly down-regulated (P<0.05), and KLF5 protein expression was up-regulated (P<0.05).

Diosgenin inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells through the miR-145-5p/KLF5/HIF-1α axis.