Current research has shown that inhibiting deoxythymidylate kinase (DTYMK) can significantly reduce development of lung cancer without liver kinase B1. However, its underlying regulatory mechanism is still unclear. We therefore aimed to investigate whether DTYMK inhibitors could suppress lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression. In this study, human tissues, A549 cells and xenograft tumors were used to explore the regulation and mechanism of DTYMK on LUAD cell proliferation and migration. Meanwhile, YMU1 (a DTYMK inhibitor) was applied to A549 cells and xenograft tumors to investigate its potential as a drug for LUAD. DTYMK was overexpressed in LUAD tissues and correlated with tumor stage. Knockdown of DTYMK suppressed cell viability, migration and invasion. In addition, the activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) was repressed upon DTYMK inhibition. YMU1 showed the same effect as DTYMK knockdown in vivo and in vitro. DTYMK plays an important role in progression of LUAD through the STAT3 signaling pathway. YMU1 may have the potential to inhibit the development of LUAD.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.