Inhibition of Pim-1 attenuates the proliferation and migration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

Objective: To explore the role of proto-oncogene Pim-1 in the proliferation and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. Methods: Pim-1 expressions in NPC cell lines CNE1, CNE1-GL, CNE-2Z and C666-1 were examined by RT-PCR, western blotting and immunoflucesence, respectively. After CNE1, CNE1-GL and C666-1 cells were treated with different concentrations of Pim-1 special inhibitor, quercetagetin, the cell viability, colony formation rate and migration ability were analyzed. Results: Pim-1 expression was negative in well-differentiated CNE1 cells, whereas expressed weakly positive in poor-differentiated CNE-2Z cells and strongly positive in undifferentiated C666-1 cells. Interestingly, CNE1-GL cells that derived from CNE1 transfected with an Epstein Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 over-expression plasmid displayed stronger expression of Pim-1. Treatment of CNE1-GL and C666-1 cells with quercetagetin significantly decreased the cell viability, colony formation rate and migration ability but not the CNE1 cells. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Pim-1 overexpression contributes to NPC proliferation and migration, and targeting Pim-1 may be a potential treatment for anti-Pim-1 expressed NPCs.