Effect of microRNA-148b and microRNA-152 on proliferation and apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma cells

Objective To investigate the microRNA (miRNA, miR)-148b and miR-152 expression and their biological functions in cholangiocarcinoma cells. Methods The expression levels of miR-148b and miR-152 in cholangiocarcinoma simples and QBC939 cells were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). After transfection with miR-148b/miR-152 mimics, cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed using methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) method, clone formation test and flow cytometry, respectively. Results The expression levels of miR-148b and miR-152 were significantly down-regulated [(2.75±0.16) folds and (3.05±0.18) folds] in cholangiocarcinoma samples as compared with normal samples (P=0.013, 0.019, respectively), and [(2.52±0.03) folds and (3.96±0.02) folds] in QBC939 cells as compared with H-69 cells (P=0.018, 0.012, respectively). Overexpression of miR-148b or miR-152 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation [(38.49±0.31)% and (52.69±1.01)%, respectively], and suppress cell clone formation (P=0.027, 0.017, respectively), block cell cycle in the S phase and induce cell apoptosis. Conclusion MiR-148b and miR-152 were down-regulated in cholangiocarcinoma cells, and overexpression of miR-148b and miR-152 could inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis. Key words: MicroRNA-148b; MicroRNA-152; Cholangiocarcinoma; Proliferation; Apoptosis