Vimentin Regulates Invasiveness and Is a Poor Prognostic Marker in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Background: Lung cancer cells often express vimentin. However, the function of vimentin in lung cancer cells has not been fully evaluated.

Materials and methods: We evaluated the association between vimentin expression in resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens and prognosis. Short-interfering RNA targeting vimentin and establishment of an invasive cell line by repeated selection of invasive cells using a Matrigel membrane invasion chamber system (MICS) were performed. MICS was used to reveal the relationship between invasiveness and vimentin.

Results: Vimentin positivity was significantly associated with a poor prognosis and was significantly lower in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma. In in vitro experiments, silencing of vimentin reduced invasiveness. Highly invasive cell lines exhibited higher expression of vimentin than did parental cells, and invasive ability was reduced by knockdown of vimentin.

Conclusion: Vimentin expression is associated with prognosis via alteration of the invasive ability of NSCLC cells.

Keywords: Lung cancer; invasion; prognosis; vimentin.