miR‑378 in combination with ultrasonic irradiation and SonoVue microbubbles transfection inhibits hepatoma cell growth

Ultrasonic microbubbles in combination with microRNA (miRNAs/miRs) exhibited promising effects on cancer treatments. The aim was to investigate the role of miR‑378 in hepatoma cells and the efficiency of it in combination with ultrasonic irradiation and SonoVue® microbubbles method for cell transfection. HuH‑7, Hep3B and SK‑Hep1 cells were transfected with an miR‑378 mimic using only Lipofectamine® 3000 or combined with SonoVue microbubbles and ultrasonic irradiation at 0.5 W/cm2 for 30 sec. mRNAs and protein levels of Cyclin D1, Bcl‑2, Bax, Akt, p53 and Survivin were detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Cell survival rate, proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were determined by Cell Counting Kit‑8, cell double cytochemical staining and flow cytometry, respectively. It was found that using a combination of ultrasonic irradiation and the SonoVue microbubbles method increased the effectiveness of miR‑378 transfection into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and increased the inhibition of cell survival and proliferation. Moreover, miR‑378 increased the rate of apoptosis and upregulated the expression of Bax and p53, and suppressed the cell cycle and downregulated the expression of Cyclin D1, Bcl‑2, Akt, β‑catenin and Survivin much more effectively in the HCC cell line by applying the combined method. Thus, miR‑378 was shown to be a suppressive factor to reduce proliferation and increase apoptosis in HCC cells. Additionally, the combination of ultrasonic irradiation and SonoVue microbubbles method was more efficient in the transfection of miRNA.