SOSTDC1 inhibits bone metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer and may serve as a clinical therapeutic target

Abstract

Bone metastasis occurs in ∼40% patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), resulting in serious morbidity and mortality. Sclerostin domain-containing protein 1 (SOSTDC 1) has been demonstrated to be associated with the development and progression of multiple types of cancer. However, the role of SOSTDC 1 in NSCLC bone metastasis remains unclear. In the present study, it was identified that SOSTDC 1 was downregulated in NSCLC bone metastatic lesions compared with that in primary tumors, and low SOSTDC 1 expression predicted poor prognosis for patients with NSCLC. Functionally, SOSTDC 1 overexpression suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cancer cell-induced osteoclastogenesis, while SOSTDC 1 knockdown produced the opposite effect. In addition, a number of potential downstream target genes of SOSTDC 1, which were demonstrated to be associated with tumor progression and bone metastasis, were identified in NSCLC cells by RNA deep sequencing and RT-qPCR assays. The results from the present study may provide useful insight for an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of NSCLC bone metastasis, and suggest that SOSTDC 1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC bone metastasis.