Open Access

Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is overexpressed in human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and activates the Notch signaling pathway

  • Authors:
    • Yajuan Qian
    • Ziyan Du
    • Yufei Xing
    • Tong Zhou
    • Ting Chen
    • Minhua Shi
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 22, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7319
  • Pages: 6034-6040
  • Copyright: © Qian et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The transcription factor, interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), serves an essential role in the regulation of immune responses, and has been reported to act as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for various hematological malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate whether IRF4 could exert effects on human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to explore the underlying mechanism. The mRNA and protein expression of IRF4 was detected in NSCLC tissues using reverse‑transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. In the in vitro experiment, IRF4 expression was knocked down or overexpressed using lentivirus in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 and lung squamous cell carcinoma LC‑AI cell lines. Cell proliferation and colony number were analyzed using MTT and colony formation assays, respectively. The expression levels of IRF4 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues (n=54) compared with that in adjacent non‑tumor tissues. Similarly, the expression levels of Notch1 and Notch2 mRNA were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues. Furthermore, the expression level of IRF4 mRNA was positively correlated with the levels of Notch1 and Notch2 mRNA in NSCLC tissues. Consequently, using NSCLC cell lines, it was demonstrated that the knockdown of IRF4 expression significantly reduced the cell proliferation rate and colony formation, whereas IRF4‑overexpression significantly increased them. Notably, the IRF4 knockdown significantly decreased the expression levels of Notch1 and Notch2 mRNA, and phosphorylated protein kinase B (AKT), whereas IRF4 overexpression resulted in the opposite. The results of the present study indicate that IRF4 is overexpressed and serves as a tumor promoter in human NSCLC, at least partially, through activating the Notch‑Akt signaling pathway.
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November-2017
Volume 16 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Qian Y, Du Z, Xing Y, Zhou T, Chen T and Shi M: Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is overexpressed in human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and activates the Notch signaling pathway. Mol Med Rep 16: 6034-6040, 2017
APA
Qian, Y., Du, Z., Xing, Y., Zhou, T., Chen, T., & Shi, M. (2017). Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is overexpressed in human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and activates the Notch signaling pathway. Molecular Medicine Reports, 16, 6034-6040. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7319
MLA
Qian, Y., Du, Z., Xing, Y., Zhou, T., Chen, T., Shi, M."Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is overexpressed in human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and activates the Notch signaling pathway". Molecular Medicine Reports 16.5 (2017): 6034-6040.
Chicago
Qian, Y., Du, Z., Xing, Y., Zhou, T., Chen, T., Shi, M."Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is overexpressed in human non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and activates the Notch signaling pathway". Molecular Medicine Reports 16, no. 5 (2017): 6034-6040. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.7319