OVOL1 Promotes Proliferation and Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Regulating APOE-Mediated Cholesterol Metabolism

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a highly lethal malignant tumour characterised by its resistance to treatment, often due to metabolic reprogramming. Despite this, the underlying mechanisms by which aberrant cholesterol metabolism influences the development and progression of NSCLC remain unclear. In our study, we observed that OVOL1 is significantly upregulated in NSCLC and is correlated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, our functional assays revealed that OVOL1 enhances the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, OVOL1 was found to modulate cholesterol reprogramming and increase the expression of APOE, thereby intensifying cholesterol metabolism and facilitating cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, our findings suggest that OVOL1 acts as an oncogene in NSCLC, promoting tumour growth and metastasis through the enhancement of cholesterol metabolism. This underscores the potential of OVOL1 as a therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.