Background:As a novel molecular markerof non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC),PRDI-BF1 and RIZ homology domain containing protein 14 (PRDM 14) is over-expressed in NSCLC tumor tissues.Extracellular matrix degradation mediated by the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) is one of the most important mechanism in lung cancer metastasis.This study aimed to determine if PRDM 14 promoted the migration of NSCLC cells through extracellular matrix degradation mediated by change of MMP/TIMP expression.Methods:The expression of PRDM14 was down-regulated in human cell line A 549 after transfection with lentiviral vector-mediated short-hairpin ribonucleic acids (shRNAs) which targeted the PRDM 14 promoter.Cellular migration ofshRNA-infected cells was detected by a scratch wound healing assay and transwell cell migration assay.Expression levels of MMP1,MMP2,TIMP1,and TIMP2 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results:Migration ofPRDM 14-shRNA-infected cells was significantly inhibited relative to control cells as measured by the scratch wound healing (P ＜ 0.05) and transwell cell migration assays (P ＜ 0.01).The expression of MMP1 in A549 cells infected by PRDM14-shRNA was down-regulated significantly (P ＜ 0.01),whereas the expression of TIMPl and TIMP2 was up-regulated significantly (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions:PRDM 14 accelerates A549 cells migration in vitro through extracellular matrix degradation.PRDM 14 is considered as a potential therapeutic target in metastatic NSCLC.