AIM: To explore the expression effect of mutated IκBαtransfection on multidrug resistance gene (MDR-1) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma cells by inhibiting the activity of nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB).METHODS: We used the mutated IκBα plasmid to transfect QBC939HCVC+ cells and QBC939 cells, and electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA) to detect the binding activity of NF-κB DNA and the effect of the transfrecting mutated IκBα plasmid on multidrug resistance gene (MDR-1) in hilar cholangiocarcinoma cells and its expression protein (P-GP).RFSULTS: Plasmid DNA was digested by restriction enzymes Xbal and Hand Ⅲ, and its product after electrophoresis showed two bands with a big difference in molecular weight,with a size of 4.9 kb and 1.55 kb respectively, which indicated that the carrier was successfully constructed and digested with enzymes. The radioactivity accumulation of QBC939HCVC+and QBC939 cells transfected with mutated IκBα plasmid was significantly lower than that of the control group not transfected with mutated IκBα plasmid. Double densimeter scanning showed that the relative signal density between the tansfection group and non-transfection group was significantly different, which proved that the mutated IκBα plasmid could inhibit the binding activity of NF-κB DNA in hilar cholangiocarcinoma cells. Compared to control group not transfected with m IκBα plasmid, the expression level of MDR-1mRNA in the QBC939 and QBC939HCVC+ cells transfected with mutated IκBα plasmid was lower. The expression intensity of P-GP protein in QBC939 and QBC939HCVC+ cells transfected with mutated IκBα was significantly lower than that of the control group not transfected with mutated IκBα plasmid.CONCLUSION: The mutated IκBα plasmid transfection can markedly reverse the multidrug resistance of hilar cholangiocarcinoma cells. Interruption of NF-κB activity may become a new target in gene therapy for hilar cholangiocarcinogenesic carcinoma.