Chemokine receptor 9 high-expression involved in the migration and invasion of the non-small-cell lung cancer cells

Background: Metastasis is responsible for most cancer-related death, and the metastatic spread of neoplastic cells may be related to the ability of migration and invasion. Chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) plays an important role in cutaneous melanoma and prostate cancer cells migration and invasion.

Objective: Investigate the specific role of the chemokine-ligand (CCR9-CCL25) axis in the development of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis.

Methods: Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR, western-blot, flow cytometry, migration, and invasion assays were used to examine the function of CCR9 in the NSCLC cells.

Results: CCR9 was highly expressed in NSCLC patient cancer tissue. In addition, in vitro migration and invasion studies on human bronchial epithelial cells of the BEAS-2B and human squamous lung cancer cell lines NCI-H157 showed that migration in response to the CCL25 was inhibited by CCR9 antibody.

Conclusion: CCR9 might play an important role in the migration and invasion of the NSCLC cells.