ObjectiveTo identify the expression functions of human NF-κBp65 nuclear localization signals' deletion mutant plasmids(namely pcDNA3.1(+)-NF-κBp65ΔNLS, NF-κBp65ΔNLS, for short) and the changes of proliferation, migration and adhesion ability of A549 lung cancer cells with low expression of NF-κBp65 (namely A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cells). MethodsHuman A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cells were cultivated and divided into a control group, a transfection pcDNA3.1 (+) group, and a transfection NF-κBp65ΔNLS group. Indirect immunofluorescence, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot techniques were used to detect the NF-κBp65 intracellular localization and the change of NF-κBp65 mRNA and protein expression level. MTT, Transwell and cell adhesion experiments were used to analyze the changes of proliferation, migration and adhesion ability of A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cells. ResultsThe human NF-κBp65ΔNLS eukaryotic expression plasmid was successfully constructed. Compared with the control group and the transfection pcDNA3.1(+) group, NF-κBp65 mRNA expression level in A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cells was increased in the transfection NF-κBp65ΔNLS group(10.63±0.84 vs. 1.04±0.21 and 1.23±0.22, P < 0.01) and NF-κBp65 protein expression level was also increased (1.07±0.06 vs. 0.53±0.02 and 0.59±0.04, P < 0.01). NF-κBp65 protein mainly located in the cytoplasm, and did not significantly transferred into the nucleus after stimulated by TNF-α. At the same time, A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cells' proliferation, migration and adhesion ability were enhanced compared with the control group and the transfection pcDNA3.1(+) group. ConclusionsThrough gene mutation technology to build the human NF-κBp65ΔNLS eukaryotic expression plasmid and transfect into A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA lung cancer cell lines, both mRNA and protein expression levels of NF-κBp65 were increased significantly, and NF-κBp65 protein mainly located in the cytoplasm. The overexpressed NF-κBp65 in cytoplasm can obviously enhance the A549/NF-κBp65 shRNA cell's proliferation, migration and adhesion ability. It suggests that NF-κBp65 stranded in the cytoplasm can still regulate biological behavior of lung cancer cells by influencing the NF-κB signaling pathway related proteins.