Metadherin regulates proliferation and metastasis via actin cytoskeletal remodelling in non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Metaderin (MTDH) protein is a novel component part of tight junction complex. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between MTDH and prognosis of patients and to explore the role of MTDH on NSCLC development and metastasis. Methods: Relative mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR, and protein expression was detected using immunohistochemistry staining. The role of MTDH in cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion was studied by modulation of MTDH expression in NSCLC cell lines. These functions of MTDH were further confirmed in vivo. Results: In NSCLC, low MTDH protein expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and decreased OS (P = 0.001, 0.011 and 0.013, respectively). Overexpression of MTDH reduced anchorage-independent and -dependent growth through arresting cell cycle, inhibited migration and invasion in vitro and further suppressed tumorigenesis, tumour growth and metastasis in vivo. Knockdown of MTDH expression increased cell invasiveness. MTDH overexpression reversed pro-metastatic actin cytoskeleton remodelling and inhibited EMT, supporting that MTDH has a key role on cancer proliferation and metastasis. Conclusions: MTDH has an important role in NSCLC proliferation and metastasis and provides potential in predicting metastasis and prognosis for patients with NSCLC.