Lenalidomide induces apoptosis and alters gene expression in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most deadly type of cancer worldwide. Although a number of therapies are used in NSCLC treatment, their therapeutic efficacy remains low. Lenalidomide was originally approved for use in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, which are associated with 5q deletions, and multiple myeloma. Recently, lenalidomide was investigated as a new NSCLC treatment, and it exerted anticancer effects. However, the primary cellular mechanism of its effects in NSCLC is largely unknown. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate a molecular portrait of lenalidomide-mediated cellular events in NSCLC. Lenalidomide reduced the viability of several NSCLC cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, array-based gene expression analysis revealed that lenalidomide regulated the expression of several genes associated with cell survival, apoptosis and development, including BH3-interacting domain death agonist (BID), v-fos FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog (FOS) and NK2 homeobox1 (NKX2-1). BID and FOS, which are known apoptosis activators, were upregulated by lenalidomide treatment, whereas NKX2-1, which is used as an immunohistochemistry marker for NSCLC, was downregulated. These results provide evidence that lenalidomide directly induces antiproliferative effects by altering the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis.