BACKGROUND: Preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is known as a tumor-associated antigen that is altered in a variety of malignancies, including lung cancer. However, the role of PRAME in lung cancer remains unclear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the expression of PRAME in human lung adenocarcinomas and studied the function of PRAME using small interfering RNA (siRNA)-induced gene knockdown in lung cancer cell lines PC9 and A549.

RESULTS: We found that PRAME expression is down-regulated in lung adenocarcinomas. Knockdown of PRAME promoted proliferation and suppressed apoptosis of PC9 and A549 cells.

CONCLUSIONS: In line with its roles in controlling cell growth, RPAME regulates multiple critical cell-growth related genes, including IGF1R oncogene. IGF1R up-regulation contributes to increase of cell growth upon the knockdown of PRAME. Taken together, our results suggest that PRAME has inhibitory roles in lung cancer.

Keywords: Adenocarcinoma - pathology, A549 cells, Antigens, Neoplasm - immunology, Apoptosis - physiology, Case-Control Studies, Cell Proliferation - physiology, Lung Neoplasms - pathology, Receptors, Somatomedin - immunology