OBJECTIVE: To investigate the function and mechanism of miR-149 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: The expression of miR-149 was examined by real-time PCR and calculated by 2(-▵▵Ct) method. The cell proliferation was analyzed by MTT assay. The cell migration and invasion were shown by the wound healing assay and transwell migration assay, and the expression of E-cadherin was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of miR-149 was higher in NPC cell lines 5-8F and 6-10B than that in normal immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial NP69. MTT assay showed that miR-149 promoted the proliferation of NPC cell lines. The wound healing assay showed miR-149 promoted the mobility and invasion of NPC cell lines. Inhibition of miR-149 reduced the ability of NPC cell lines to proliferate and invade. miR-149 downregulated the expression of E-cadherin, whereas antagomir which mediated knockdown of miR-149 significantly upregulated the expression of E-cadherin. CONCLUSION: miR-149 might be involved in the invasion and metastasis of NPC through regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).