Mechanistic insights into CDCP1 clustering on non-small-cell lung cancer membranes revealed by super-resolution fluorescent imaging

CDCP1 is a transmembrane protein that is involved in a variety of important biological processes and upregulated in a variety of human solid malignancies; however, its spatial distribution and variation at the molecular level remain un-clear. To solve this problem, we first analyzed its expression level and prognostic implications in lung cancer. Then, we used super-resolution microscopy to reveal the spatial organization of CDCP1 at different levels, and found that cancer cells generated more and larger CDCP1 clusters than normal cells. Furthermore, we found that CDCP1 can be integrated into larger and denser clusters as functional domains upon activation. Our findings elucidated the significant differences of CDCP1 clustering characteristics between cancer and normal cells, and revealed the relationship between its distribution and function, which will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of its oncogenic mechanism, and will be of great help for the development of CDCP1-targeted drugs for lung cancer.

Automated summary

CDCP1 is a transmembrane protein involved in important biological processes and is upregulated in human solid malignancies. However, its spatial distribution and variation at the molecular level are unclear. This study analyzed CDCP1 expression and prognostic implications in lung cancer, and used super-resolution microscopy to reveal its spatial organization. The findings showed significant differences in CDCP1 clustering characteristics between cancer and normal cells, highlighting its potential as a target for lung cancer drugs.