Effect of xeroderma pigmentosum group C on the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of lung cancer stem cells

Lung cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer worldwide, with >80% of cases being non‑small cell lung cancer. Its recurrence and drug resistance have been major challenges in clinical treatment, posing a serious threat to the lives of patients. The present study found that high xeroderma pigmentosum group C (XPC) expression markedly reduced the proliferation capacity and stem cell characteristics of the lung cancer cell lines A549‑XPC and H460‑XPC. In addition, XPC overexpression led to a decreased in the proportion of cells in the G₂/M phase proportion, suggesting alterations in the cell cycle process. MTS assays showed that XPC overexpressing cells demonstrated markedly higher sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs compared with control cells. Furthermore, the clonogenic and anchorage‑independent spheroid formation capacities of the cells were markedly inhibited with high XPC expression and the phosphorylation levels of the JAK/STAT pathway and the expression levels of stemness‑associated markers were markedly altered. In vivo studies validated the effect of high XPC expression on tumorigenicity using a subcutaneous tumor model, with tumor volumes of 134.04±46.77 mm³ and 324.64±85.31 mm³ and weights of 164.24±76.16 mg and 434.70±115.72 mg for subcutaneously injected A549‑XPC and A549‑CTR cells, respectively. High expression of XPC in the A549 cells significantly affected tumor volume (P<0.05) and weight (P<0.01) in vivo. The present findings suggested that high XPC expression is associated with reduced proliferation, migration and stem cell‑like properties in lung cancer cells, enhances their sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs and suppresses tumor growth in vivo. These observations supported further investigation of XPC as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for lung cancer, offering new strategies to improve treatment outcomes and prolong patient survival.