B7-H3 promotes aerobic glycolysis and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer cells by regulating HK2

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Apr 5;10(4):308. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-1549-6.

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that aerobic glycolysis is important for colorectal cancer (CRC) development. However, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. B7-H3, an immunoregulatory protein, is broadly overexpressed by multiple tumor types and plays a vital role in tumor progression. In this study, we found that overexpression of B7-H3 effectively increased the rate of glucose consumption and lactate production, whereas knockdown of B7-H3 had the opposite effect. Furthermore, we showed that B7-H3 increased glucose consumption and lactate production by promoting hexokinase 2 (HK2) expression in CRC cells, and we also found that HK2 was a key mediator of B7-H3-induced CRC chemoresistance. Depletion of HK2 expression or treating cells with HK2 inhibitors could reverse the B7-H3-induced increase in aerobic glycolysis and B7-H3-endowed chemoresistance of cancer cells. Moreover, we verified a positive correlation between the expression of B7-H3 and HK2 in tumor tissues of CRC patients. Collectively, our findings suggest that B7-H3 may be a novel regulator of glucose metabolism and chemoresistance via controlling HK2 expression in CRC cells, a result that could help develop B7-H3 as a promising therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • B7 Antigens / genetics
  • B7 Antigens / metabolism*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Female
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glycolysis / genetics*
  • Glycolysis / physiology
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Hexokinase / genetics
  • Hexokinase / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Lactic Acid / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • B7 Antigens
  • CD276 protein, human
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Lactic Acid
  • Hexokinase
  • Glucose