KAI1/CD82, Metastasis Suppressor Gene as a Therapeutic Target for Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma

Lung cancer is the most frequent malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide; it is the second most common cancer, comprising 1.69 million deaths worldwide per year. Among these, 85% of lung cancers are non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Metastasis is common in NSCLC patients and are responsible for most deaths. Kang-Ai 1 (KAI1), a tumor metastasis suppressor gene also known as Cluster of Differentiation 82 (CD82), is a member of the membrane tetraspanin protein family, which are capable of inhibiting the metastatic process in NSCLC. KAI1/CD82 suppresses metastasis via multiple mechanisms regulating inhibition of cell motility, adhesion, fusion, and proliferation. KAI1 may attenuate signaling to shut down metastatic colonization through attenuation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and inhibition of the Wnt signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the differential expression of KAI1/CD82, a tumor metastasis suppressor gene that can inhibit cancer invasion and cell metastasis during NSCLC. The differential expression of KAI1/CD82 could prove to be of novel therapeutic significance in treating malignant tumors and in reducing their metastatic potential.