BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) mainly includes lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to investigate the difference between the expression of Cbl-b in lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical features and survival data of NSCLC patients and Cbl-b mRNA (FPKM) were obtained from the TCGA database. Then, lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma cell lines were transfected with lentivirus-mediated RNA interference vector to knockdown the expression of Cbl-b. Next, a Transwell assay was performed to study the effect of Cbl-b shRNA on migration and invasion of lung squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma cells. Finally, Western blot analysis was performed to measure the expressions of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, GSK3β, p-GSK3β, mTOR, and p-mTOR protein in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma cells.

RESULTS: The correlation of Cbl-b expression and OS was different between NSCLC adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma. After transfection, the expression of Cbl-b was inhibited in A549, H1975, and SW900 cells. Cbl-b shRNA promoted the migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma A549 and H1975 cells, but it inhibited the invasion of lung squamous cell carcinoma SW900 cells. In addition, Cbl-b regulated the expression of PI3K and ERK1/2-GSK3β pathway proteins in A549 and SW900 cells.

CONCLUSIONS: The OS of Cbl-b mRNA low expression in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was different. The difference in signal pathways may be one of the reasons for the difference in the correlation between Cbl-b expression and the survival rate of these 2 pathological types of lung cancer.