TAOK1 Promotes Proliferation and Invasion of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Inhibition of WWC1

BACKGROUND: For patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), targeted therapy significantly improves the therapeutic effect of NSCLC patients. With the development of molecular targeted therapy, more and more NSCLC-related genes have been found. Thousand and one amino-acid kinase 1 (TAOK1) has been identified as a potential target for drug research in various cancers. The main objective of this study was to explore the expression and function of TAOK1 in NSCLC. METHODS: Western blotting was employed to assess TAOK1 expression in NSCLC cell lines. The effects of TAOK1 on biological behaviors, including proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells, were assessed. The relationship between TAOK1 and WW and C2 domain containing 1 (WWC1) was assessed by Co-IP assay. The subcutaneous injection of tumor cells in nude mice was used to verify it in vivo. RESULTS: As expected, TAOK1 was increased in NSCLC cell lines. Following TAOK1 knockdown, NSCLC cells exhibited a significant decrease in the invasion and increased apoptosis in vitro. Instead, the TAOK1 elevation showed the opposite results. The Co-IP assay identified that TAOK1 specifically interacted with WWC1. Knockdown of WWC1 overturned TAOK1 silencing-mediated malignant phenotype of NSCLC cells. Additionally, subcutaneous tumorigenesis assays in nude mice confirmed that TAOK1 knockdown markedly restrained the proliferation capacity of NSCLC cells in vivo. CONCLUSION: Surprisingly, TAOK1 overexpression in NSCLC promotes tumor cell growth and invasion, which is associated with downregulation of its downstream protein WWC1, and this result might provide a robust research basis to inquire about the precise therapeutic targets for NSCLC.