HPIP promotes non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion through regulation of the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway

Hematopoietic pre-B-cell leukemia transcription factor (PBX)-interacting protein (HPIP) has been shown to play a role in cancer development and progression. However, the role of HPIP in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has never been revealed. Here, we explore the roles and mechanisms of HPIP in the progression of NSCLC. Our results showed that HPIP expression was significantly higher in NSCLC tissues and cell lines when compared with that in normal lung tissues and cell line. In addition, knockdown of HPIP in NSCLC cells significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of HPIP obviously inhibits the protein expression of Shh as well as Smo, Ptc and Gli-1 in A549 cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that knockdown of HPIP inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation and invasion through suppressing the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway. Thus, HPIP may be a novel potential therapeutic target for NSCLC.