The role and diagnostic value of kinesin motor proteins KIF4A and KIF23 in lung adenocarcinoma

LI Haiyang; WANG Jiyun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-0460.2025.05.005

Abstract：Objective To investigate the expression,diagnostic value,and regulatory mechanisms of kinesin family member 4A(KIF4A)and kinesin family member 23(KIF23)in lung adenocarcinoma.Methods We analyzed the expression of KIF4A and KIF23 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues using the TCGA-LUAD database.The mRNA levels were measured through real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR)in lung adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal tissues,and the receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curves were constructed to evaluate their diagnostic value.KIF4A and KIF23 knockdown models were created in A549 cells using Lipofectamine 2000 to transfect sh-KIF4A and sh-KIF23 plasmids,with sh-NC as a negative control.After 48 hours,expression levels were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.The impact of knockdown on cell proliferation,migration,and invasion was evaluated using MTT assays and Transwell experiments.Results Analysis of the TCGA-LUAD database showed that KIF4A and KIF23 were significantly overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues(P<0.05).qRT-PCR was used to detect 59 cases of lung adenocarcinoma tissues and adjacent tissues.The results showed that compared with adjacent tissues,the expressions of KIF4A and KIF23 were significantly increased in lung adenocarcinoma tissues(P<0.05).Western blotting analysis indicated that protein levels in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines were significantly higher than in normal bronchial epithelial cells(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis revealed area under curve(AUC)values of 0.857 for KIF4A and 0.886 for KIF23,indicating their strong diagnostic value.The MTT assay results showed that knocking down KIF4A and KIF23 significantly reduced the proliferation ability of lung cancer A549 cells(P<0.05).The Transwell experiment results showed that knocking down KIF4A and KIF23 significantly reduced the migration and invasion ability of lung cancer A549 cells(P<0.05).Conclusion KIF23 and KIF4A are highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma,promoting the proliferation,migration,and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells,and they hold potential as diagnostic and therapeutic targets.