The role of microRNAs-23b and 27b in migration, invasion and proliferation of T24 bladder cancer cells.

Abstract

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is the sixth most common cancer among men worldwide and represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. High-grade BC is associated with an increased risk of progression to muscle-invasive and metastatic disease, negatively impacting patient prognosis. Despite advances in molecular characterization, therapeutic strategies remain limited, and the identification of novel molecular targets is essential. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation and play critical roles in tumor development and progression. Among them, miRNA-23b and miRNA-27b have been implicated in several malignancies; however, their functional role in high-grade BC remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to evaluate the expression levels of miRNAs-23b and 27b in a high-grade BC cell line and to investigate their effects on cell migration, invasion, and proliferation, exploring their potential therapeutic relevance.

Methods: The high-grade BC T24 cell line was used. Cells were divided into four groups: Control (no transfection), negative control (Scramble), miRNA-23b mimic, and miRNA-27b mimic. Relative miRNA expression levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Functional assays included wound healing (migration), Matrigel invasion assay, and colony formation assay (proliferation). Statistical analyses were performed to compare groups, and p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Transfection resulted in significant overexpression of miRNA-23b and miRNA-27b compared to both Scramble (p = 0.0344 and p = 0.0386, respectively) and Control groups (p = 0.0343 and p = 0.0390, respectively). Both miRNA-23b and miRNA-27b significantly reduced cell migration compared to Scramble (p = 0.0286). Additionally, miRNA-23b significantly decreased invasion compared to Scramble and Control (p < 0.0001), with similar findings observed for miRNA-27b (p < 0.0001). No statistically significant differences were observed in colony formation among groups.

Conclusions: Overexpression of miRNA-23b and miRNA-27b significantly reduced migration and invasion in a high-grade BC cell line, without affecting proliferation. These findings suggest that both miRNAs may act as tumor suppressors in high-grade BC and represent promising candidates for future therapeutic development in bladder cancer.