Open Access

ARTICLE

Proteasome Inhibitors Diminish c-Met Expression and Induce Cell Death in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Yanhui Li^*†, Su Dong^*†, Arya Tamaskar^†, Heather Wang^†, Jing Zhao^†, Haichun Ma^*, Yutong Zhao^†

* Department of Anesthesia, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
† Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

Oncology Research 2020, 28(5), 497-507. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504020X15929939001042

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and accounts for 85% of all lung carcinomas. The hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-Met) has been considered as a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC. Proteasome inhibition induces cell apoptosis and has been used as a novel therapeutic approach for treating diseases including NSCLC; however, the effects of different proteasome inhibitors on NSCLC have not been fully investigated. The aim of this study is to determine a precise strategy for treating NSCLC by targeting c-Met using different proteasome inhibitors. Three proteasome inhibitors, bortezomib, MG132, and ONX 0914, were used in this study. Bortezomib (50 nM) significantly reduced c-Met levels and cell viability in H1299 and H441 cells, while similar effects were observed in H460 and A549 cells when a higher concentration (~100 nM) was used. Bortezomib decreased c-Met gene expression in H1299 and H441 cells, but it had no effect in A549 and H460 cells. MG-132 at a low concentration (0.5 µM) diminished c-Met levels in H441 cells, while neither a low nor a high concentration (~20 µM) altered c-Met levels in A549 and H460 cells. A higher concentration of MG-132 (5 µM) was required for decreasing c-Met levels in H1299 cells. Furthermore, MG-132 induced cell death in all four cell types. Among all the four cell lines, H441 cells expressed higher levels of c-Met and appeared to be the most susceptible to MG-132. MG-132 decreased c-Met mRNA levels in both H1299 and H441 cells. ONX 0914 reduced c-Met levels in H460, H1299, and H441 cells but not in A549 cells. c-Met levels were decreased the most in H441 cells treated with ONX 0914. ONX 0914 did not alter cell viability in H441; however, it did induce cell death among H460, A549, and H1299 cells. This study reveals that different proteasome inhibitors produce varied inhibitory effects in NSCLS cell lines.

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