Effect of micro-ribonucleic acid-21 on the malignant biological behavior of cholangiocarcinoma cells by targeting the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of micro-ribonucleic acid-21(miR-21) on the malignant biological behavior of human cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 by targeting the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTEN)/inositol phosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. Methods The cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 in the logarithmic growth phase was divided into empty vector group, blank control group, overexpression group, and silencing group.An inverted fluorescence microscope was used to observe transfection efficiency; MTT assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assay, and wound healing assay were used to measure cell proliferative activity, apoptosis rate, invasion activity, and migration activity.Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of miR-21, PTEN, PI3K, Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR); Western blotting was used to measure the protein expression levels of PTEN, PI3K, Akt, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), and mTOR; dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the effect of miR-21 on PTEN.A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the SNK- q test was used for further comparison between two groups. Results Transfection efficiency was 90.27%±18.03% in the overexpression group, 91.43%±18.26% in the silencing group, and 92.16%±18.41% in the empty vector group.Compared with the blank control group and the empty vector group, the overexpression group had a significant increase in the proliferative activity of QBC939 cells (both P < 0.05) and a significant reduction in apoptosis rate (both P < 0.01);compared with the blank control group, the empty vector group, and the overexpression group, the silencing group had a significant reduction in proliferative activity ( P < 0.01) and a significant increase in apoptosis rate ( P < 0.01).Compared with the blank control group and the empty vector group, the overexpression group had significant increases in the migration rate of QBC939 cells and number of cells penetrating the membrane (all P < 0.01);compared with the blank control group, the empty vector group, and the overexpression group, the silencing group had significant reductions in migration rate and number of cells penetrating the membrane (all P < 0.01).Compared with the blank control group and the empty vector group, the overexpression group had significant increases in the mRNA expression levels of miR-21, PI3K, Akt, and mTOR and a significant reduction in the mRNA expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05);compared with the blank control group, the empty vector group, and the overexpression group, the silencing group had significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels of miR-21, PI3K, Akt, and mTOR and a significant increase in the mRNA expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.05).Compared with the blank control group and the empty vector group, the overexpression group had significant increases in the protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, and mTOR and a significant reduction in the protein expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.01);compared with the blank control group, the empty vector group, and the overexpression group, the silencing group had significant reductions in the protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, and mTOR and a significant increase in the protein expression level of PTEN (all P < 0.01).Furthermore, miR-21 showed targeted regulation of PTEN expression. Conclusion MiR-21 silencing may inhibit the malignant biological behavior of human cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 by targeting the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to upregulate the expression of PTEN and downregulate the expression of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and p-Akt.