1. Academic Validation
  2. Dihydroartemisinin represses esophageal cancer glycolysis by down-regulating pyruvate kinase M2

Dihydroartemisinin represses esophageal cancer glycolysis by down-regulating pyruvate kinase M2

  • Eur J Pharmacol. 2019 Jul 5;854:232-239. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.04.018.
Shumin Li 1 Peng Huang 1 Junqing Gan 1 Xiaodong Ling 2 Xiaoxue Du 1 Yuanyu Liao 1 Lisha Li 1 Yu Meng 1 Yanjing Li 3 Yuxian Bai 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, PR China.
  • 2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, PR China.
  • 3 Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, PR China. Electronic address: liyanjing_hmu@126.com.
  • 4 Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, PR China. Electronic address: bai_yuxian@126.com.
Abstract

Esophageal Cancer, especially esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) threatens so many lives in China every year. Traditional treatment of ESCC has usually been disappointing. The development of novel therapy is worth investigation. We have previously demonstrated that dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has Anticancer effect on esophageal Cancer. However, the mechanism has not been completely known. In this present study, we explored the effect of DHA on Cancer cell glycolysis, also known as Warburg effect. Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) is a key regulatory factor of glycolysis, and our results showed that it is significantly overexpressed in patients with ESCC and ESCC cell lines. In DHA treatment cells, PKM2 was down-regulated and lactate product and glucose uptake were inhibited. Overexpression of PKM2 by lentiviral transfection abrogated the inhibition effect of DHA. These results suggested that DHA might repress esophageal Cancer glycolysis partly by down-regulating PKM2 expression. We believe that DHA might be a prospective agent against esophageal Cancer.

Keywords

Dihydroartemisinin; Esophageal cancer; Glycolysis; Pyruvate kinase M2.

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