Expression of ALDH18A1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Its Impact on Tumor Cell Growth

Abstract

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common pathological type of lung cancer, and its incidence and mortality rates have long ranked among the highest of malignant tumors worldwide. Through bioinformatics analysis, this study identified the oncogene ALDH18A1, which is closely related to the development of NSCLC. Recent studies have shown that ALDH18A1 is highly expressed in various malignant tumors and participates in regulating biological processes such as cell viability and proliferation. However, its specific role and molecular mechanism in NSCLC remain unclear. Aim: To investigate the expression characteristics of ALDH18A1 in NSCLC cells and its effects on cell viability and proliferation. Materials and Methods: The expression levels of ALDH18A1 in various NSCLC cell lines and normal lung cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. NSCLC cell lines with high ALDH18A1 expression were selected, and ALDH18A1 was knocked down using siRNA technology. The effects of ALDH18A1 downregulation on cell viability and proliferation were evaluated using CCK-8 assays and colony formation assays, and the experimental results were analyzed using statistical methods. Results: The expression level of ALDH18A1 in NSCLC cell lines was significantly higher than that in normal lung cells, and the expression was particularly significant in H1975 cells. Knockdown of ALDH18A1 expression significantly reduced the viability and proliferation capacity of NSCLC cells, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: ALDH18A1 is highly expressed in NSCLC cells, and its downregulation can significantly inhibit the viability and proliferation of tumor cells, suggesting that ALDH18A1 plays a pro-tumor role in the occurrence and development of NSCLC and has research value as a potential oncogene and therapeutic target.