Long Non-Coding RNA CRYBG3 Promotes Lung Cancer Metastasis via Activating the eEF1A1/MDM2/MTBP Axis

The occurrence of distant tumor metastases is a major barrier in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy, and seriously affects clinical treatment and patient prognosis. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be crucial regulators of metastasis in lung cancer. The aim of this study was to reveal the underlying mechanisms of a novel lncRNA LNC CRYBG3 in regulating NSCLC metastasis. Experimental results showed that LNC CRYBG3 was upregulated in NSCLC cells compared with normal tissue cells, and its level was involved in these cells’ metastatic ability. Exogenously overexpressed LNC CRYBG3 increased the metastatic ability and the protein expression level of the metastasis-associated proteins Snail and Vimentin in low metastatic lung cancer HCC827 cell line. In addition, LNC CRYBG3 contributed to HCC827 cell metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, LNC CRYBG3 could directly combine with eEF1A1 and promote it to move into the nucleus to enhance the transcription of MDM2. Overexpressed MDM2 combined with MDM2 binding protein (MTBP) to reduce the binding of MTBP with ACTN4 and consequently increased cell migration mediated by ACTN4. In conclusion, the LNC CRYBG3/eEF1A1/MDM2/MTBP axis is a novel signaling pathway regulating tumor metastasis and may be a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.