Overexpression of axin downregulates TCF-4 and inhibits the development of lung cancer.

T cell factor 4 (TCF-4) mediates a nuclear response to wingless/int (Wnt) signals by interacting with beta-catenin. Axis inhibition protein (axin) is an important negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway. Our aims were to examine the relationship between axin and TCF-4 and to explore the effects of axin on the development of lung cancer. Expression levels of axin and TCF-4 were examined in 107 lung cancer specimens by immunohistochemistry. The axin gene was transfected into lung cancer BE1 cells. The expression levels of axin, beta-catenin, and TCF-4 were detected with immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments. Apoptosis, proliferation, and the invasive ability of lung cancer cells were examined using flow cytometry, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT), and Matrigel invasive assays. Preserved axin expression correlated negatively with TCF-4 expression (P = .031). Axin expression differed with respect to degree of differentiation (P = .025) and histological tumor type (P = .031). TCF-4 expression differed relative to tumor, node metastasis (TNM) stage (P = .024). BE1 cells transfected with axin (BE1-axin cells) exhibited a significant decrease in TCF-4 expression. The level of apoptosis in BE1-axin cells was significantly increased, while the proliferative and invasive abilities of BE1-axin cells were decreased. These results suggest that reduced expression of axin or augmented expression of TCF-4 is associated with the malignant behavior of lung cancers. Overexpression of axin can downregulate expression of TCF-4 and can inhibit the ability of lung cancer cells to proliferate and invade.