Ginkgolide B Inhibits Human Bladder Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion Through MicroRNA-223-3p.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Ginkgolide B (GB) is currently used as an anticancer drug for treatment of some malignant cancers. However, whether it may have therapeutic effects on bladder cancer remains unknown. Here, we studied the effects of GB on bladder cancer cells. METHODS Bladder cells were treated with different doses of GB, and the effects on ZEB1 and microRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) were analyzed by RT-qPCR and/or Western blot. Prediction of a regulatory relationship between miR-93 and 3'-UTR of Beclin-1 mRNA was performed by a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS We found that GB dose-dependently decreased ZEB1 protein, but not mRNA, in bladder cancer cells, resulting in suppression of cell invasion. Moreover, in bladder cancer cells, GB dose-dependently decreased the levels of miR-223-3p, which suppressed the protein translation of ZEB1 through binding to 3'-UTR of ZEB1 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-223-3p decreased ZEB1 protein, while depletion of miR-223-3p increased ZEB1 protein in bladder cancer cells. CONCLUSION GB inhibits bladder cancer cell invasiveness through suppressing ZEB1 protein translation via upregulating miR-223-3p.