UbcH10 expression provides a useful tool for the prognosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose To investigate the expression pattern of UbcH10 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its correlations with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in NSCLC patients. Methods The UbcH10 expression in NSCLC tissues, SK-MES-1, and A549 lung cancer cell lines was evaluated, and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in NSCLC patients was examined by Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. The biological effects of UbcH10 on the cell proliferation, cell cycle, and chemosensitivity to gemcitabine or paclitaxel in SK-MES-1 cells were examined upon the UbcH10 silencing. Results UbcH10 is overexpressed in poorly differentiated NSCLC samples than in well-differentiated ones, and its expression level was significantly higher in squamous cell carcinoma than that in adenocarcinoma. Higher UbcH10 expression was associated with a shorter postoperative survival time of NSCLC patients by Kaplan–Meier method and was found to be an independent risk factor that influences the postoperative survival time of NSCLC patients by Cox regression analysis. UbcH10 mRNA and protein expression were significantly upregulated in SK-MES-1 cells compared with A549 and MRC-5 cells. Suppression of UbcH10 expression in SK-MES-1 cells inhibited cell proliferation and increased chemosensitivity to gemcitabine or paclitaxel concomitant with decreased MDR1 gene expression. Conclusion UbcH10 may play an important role in NSCLC carcinogenesis, and silencing UbcH10 may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.