Authors: Jian Chen Sulin Zhang Yuncheng Li Zhengang Tang Weijia Kong
Publish Date: 2013/12/21
Volume: 35, Issue: 4, Pages: 3743-3753
Abstract
Proliferating cancer cells preferentially use anaerobic glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation for energy production Hexokinase 2 HK2 is highly expressed in many malignant cells and is necessary for anaerobic glycolysis The role of HK2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma LSCC is unknown In this study the expression of HK2 in LSCC was investigated and the effect of inhibiting HK2 expression with small hairpin RNA shRNA on tumor growth was investigated Using immunohistochemistry HK2 expression was assessed in LSCC tissues Human laryngeal carcinoma Hep2 cells were stably transfected with a plasmid expressing HK2 shRNA pGenesil11HK2 and were compared to control cells with respect to the cell cycle cell viability apoptosis and their ability to form xenograft tumors HK2 expression was significantly higher in LSCC than in papilloma or glottis polypus Tumor samples of higher T N and TNM stage often had stronger HK2 staining HK2 shRNA reduced HK2 mRNA protein levels and HK activity in Hep2 cells HK2 cells expressing shRNA demonstrated a higher G0–G1 ratio increased apoptosis and reduced viability Xenograft tumors derived from cells expressing HK2 shRNA were smaller and had lower proliferation than those from untransfected or controlplasmidtransfected cells In conclusion depletion of HK2 expression resulted in reduced xenograft tumor development likely by reducing proliferation altering the cell cycle reducing cell viability and activating apoptosis These data suggest that HK2 plays an important role in the development of LSCC and represents a potential therapeutic target for LSCC
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