Mediating role of miR-451/ETV4/MMP13 signaling axis on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in promoting non-small cell lung cancer progression

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality. It is one of the most abundant cancer types clinically, with 2 million new cases diagnosed yearly. Aims: Using clinically collected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples, we sought to hypothesize an innovative intact signaling cascade for the disorder. Methods: We dissected snap-frozen NSCLC tissues along with sibling-paired nearby non-tumorous tissues from 108 NSCLC patients. We measured the expression levels of miR-451/ETV4/MMP13 using qRT-PCR and did a thorough investigation of the molecular mechanism for the signaling axis in NSCLC cell line A549. We also studied the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Results: The activity of miR-451 was significantly decreased in NSCLC tissues, while the expression levels of ETV4 and MMP13 were remarkably increased. At the same time, miR-451 levels maintained a declining trend across TNM stage I–III. Inversely, ETV4 and MMP13 increased as the TNM stage increased. The miR-451/ETV4/MMP13 signaling axis was closely associated with prognosis in NSCLC patients. Based on in vitro experiments, ETV4 was a direct targeting factor for miRNA-451. Meanwhile, ETV4 promoted the tumor properties of NSCLC cells by directly activating MMP13. Silencing MMP13 blocked the EMT progress of NSCLC cells. Conclusion: Overall, we hypothesized an impeccable signaling pathway for NSCLC from a new aspect, and this can offer alternative insights for a better understanding of the disorder.