Role and mechanism of leukemia inhibitory factor receptor in cervical cancer invasion and metastasis.

Objective: To investigate the relationships of leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) with cervical cancer invasion and metastasis.

Methods: From January 2021 to December 2022, 45 patients treated for cervical cancer and lung metastases were identified. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of Hippo-YAP signaling pathway-related proteins. Meanwhile, 40 healthy Sprague-Dawley nude mice were used and evenly randomized into two groups, which were injected with LIFR-overexpressing (study group) or normal cervical cancer cells (control group). The lung tissue of nude mice was removed for hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the number of lung cell metastases in nude mice was counted.

Results: The highest LIFR mRNA expression was found in paracancerous tissue, followed by cervix cancer tissue and metastatic lesions. The study group exhibited higher LIFR, P-YAP, and P-TAZ protein expression and lower YAP and TAZ protein expression than the control group. The study group had a lower number of lung metastases than the control group.

Conclusion: Decreased expression of LIFR and decreased phosphorylation of Hippo-YAP signaling pathway-related proteins might be the underlying mechanisms that promote lung metastasis of cervical cancer.