OCT4 promotes lung cancer progression through upregulation of VEGF-correlated chemokine-1

Embryonic development and tumor genesis share numerous similarities, with OCT4 standing out as a pivotal transcription factor in embryonic development. Expression of OCT4 is associated with poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma. VEGF-correlated chemokine-1 (VCC-1), also known as C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CXCL17), has been suggested to play a role in promoting tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. In the present study, we show a positive correlation between OCT4 expression levels and tumor metastatic potential, where an increase in OCT4 expression parallels an upregulation of VCC-1 in lung cancer. This relationship was substantiated through DNA microarray analysis and further confirmed by tissue staining of clinical lung cancer samples, demonstrating a positive correlation between OCT4 and VCC-1 expression. In A549 and H1299 human lung cancer cells, modulations in OCT4 expression directly influenced VCC-1 levels, as evidenced by the reporter assay of the VCC-1 promoter, indicating the regulatory role of OCT4 in transactivating VCC-1 expression. Furthermore, enhanced VCC-1 expression in H1299 cells promoted transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) secretion, contributing to lung cancer cell aggressiveness. Additionally, VCC-1 secretion by H1299 cells could attract THP-1 macrophages, further implicating its role in tumor progression. NOD/SCID mice inoculated with VCC-1-knockdown A549 lung cancer cells exhibited significantly smaller tumors than those inoculated with control cells. On the basis of these findings, we highlight the importance of the OCT4-VCC-1 axis in lung cancer progression. Our findings also provide therapeutic targets for lung cancer.