The aim of this study was to investigate the role of high mobility group protein-1 (HMGB1) in the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells. CCK-8 assays and colony formation assays were used to evaluate the effect of HMGB1 regulation on cancer cell viability and colony formation. Trans-well assays and wound healing assays were also performed. Our data showed that HMGB1 is upregulated in clinical lung cancer tissues compared with non-cancer tissues, and it is differentially expressed in lung cancer cell lines. The knockdown of HMGB1 in A549 lung cancer cells significantly reduced cell proliferation, viability and motility. In contrast, overexpression of HMGB1 in lung cancer H1299 cells significantly increased cell viability and motility. Western blotting showed that HMGB1 could promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway was activated after overexpression of HMGB1 in H1299 cells, while it was inactivated by knocking down HMGB1 in A549 cells. These data suggest that HMGB1 promotes the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells in vitro. The carcinogenic behavior of HMGB1 can be achieved by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
Keywords: HMGB1; Wnt/β-catenin; lung cancer; migration; proliferation.