BARX1 repressed FOXF1 expression and activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to drive lung adenocarcinoma

Underlying molecular mechanisms of BARX homeobox 1 (BARX1) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain elusive. Abnormally expressed genes in LUAD tissues were analyzed by RNA-sequencing. CCK-8, colony formation, transwell, and wound healing assays examined proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration of LUAD cells, respectively. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay examined the interaction between BARX1 and Forkhead Box F1 (FOXF1). Xenograft mouse model of LUAD was constructed to monitor the growth and metastasis of tumor. BARX1 was upregulated, FOXF1 was downregulated in LUAD tissues and cells. There was a negative correlation between BARX1 and FOXF1 expression. BARX1 deficiency limited malignant phenotypes of LUAD cells, including proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT. In vivo, BARX1 knockdown suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in A549-drove xenograft mouse model. BARX1 interacted with FOXF1 promoter and repressed FOXF1 expression. Upregulation of BARX1 promoted the expression of Wnt5a, β-catenin, and phosphorylated-glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (p-GSK3β), whereas inhibited FOXF1, p-β-catenin, and GSK3β in LUAD cells. BARX1 knockdown caused an opposite result. Rescue assays uncovered that FOXF1 reversed the impact of BARX1 on malignant phenotypes and Wnt/β-catenin of LUAD cells. BARX1 repressed FOXF1 expression and activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to drive lung adenocarcinoma.