Downregulation of LIMK1 level inhibits migration of lung cancer cells and enhances sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs.

LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) is a member of a novel class of serine-threonine protein kinases, which plays an important role in malignant transformation. High expression of LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) has been detected in various invasive cancers. Here, we showed that LIMK1 was overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer tissues (NSCLC) and cell lines. Expression of LIMK1 was detected in 115 of 150 lung cancer tissues, the frequency being more significant than in lung tissues. In addition, overexpression of LIMK1 was also associated with high TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients. Moreover, RNAi-mediated suppression of LIMK1 expression markedly inhibited migration and invasion of 801D lung cancer cells. Furthermore, silencing of LIMK1 sensitized 801D cells to chemotherapeutic drugs of cisplatin and gemcitabine. These results indicate that the overexpression of LIMK1 is tightly associated with an aggressive phenotype of lung cancer cells, knockdown of LIMK1 suppressed cell migration and invasion, enhanced chemosensitivity, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for lung cancer.