Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. In the present study, we focused on LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP-1), a key molecule involved in the development of multiple cancers, and attempted to elucidate its effect on the oncogenesis of lung cancer. We determined the expression level of LASP-1 in lung cancer using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, and also studied the potential function of LASP-1 in lung cancer cell growth, apoptosis and migration by small interfering RNA transfection. The results revealed that the levels of LASP-1 mRNA and protein were abnormally high in lung cancer cells. Following RNA interference of LASP-1, the proliferation and migration ability of the human cancer cell line A549 were significantly decreased. In addition, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis indicated that the apoptotic process in the A549 cell line was induced by the silencing of LASP-1. Our study is the first to investigate the potential of LASP-1 in lung cancer, and revealed its significant role in regulating the growth and metastasis of lung cancer cells. The present study suggests that LASP-1 has potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment of lung cancer in the clinic.
Keywords: LIM and SH3 protein 1; RNAi; apoptosis; lung cancer.