T-box transcription factor brachyury promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer via upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 12.

T-box transcription factor brachyury and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell invasion and metastasis. However, the association between Brachyury and the MMP family has not yet been fully investigated. The present study aimed to assess the influence of Brachyury on the expression of 23 MMP members and to further explore the mechanisms involved in the promotion of NSCLC cell invasion by Brachyury and MMPs in the H460 and H1299 stable cell lines. The protein expression levels and correlations between the brachyury transcription factor and the targeted MMPs were also validated in 52 NSCLC patient tissue samples. We observed that brachyury significantly upregulated MMP12 expression to promote NSCLC cell invasion. We also found a potential binding site for the brachyury transcription factor in the MMP12 promoter.