Moreover, in WL-2 cells, an increase of dead cells by 3.73% (Fig. 4b; P = 0.005) and induction of apoptosis by 9.60% (Fig. 4c) were also demonstrated using trypan blue staining and annexin V-PI analysis respectively, suggesting a tumor suppressive role of miR-340-5p in myeloma cells. Here, ANXA5 is linked to plasma cell myeloma.