title: Enhanced expression of PKM2 associates with the biological properties of cancer stem cells from A549 human lung cancer cells.
abstract: Cancer cells express the M2 isoform of glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase (PKM2) for favoring the survival under a hypoxic condition. Considering the relative low oxygen microenvironment in stem cell niche, we hypothesized that an enhanced PKM2 expression associates with the biological properties of cancer stem cells. We used A549 human lung cancer cell line and surgical resected lung cancer tissue samples from patients for experiments. We confirmed the co-localization of PKM2 and CD44, a popular marker for cancer stem cells in lung cancer tissue samples from patients. The expression of PKM2 was clearly observed in approximately 80% of the A549 human lung cancer cells. Remarkably, enhanced expression of PKM2 was specially observed in these cells that also positively expressed CD44. Downregulation of PKM2 in CD44+ cancer stem cells by siRNA significantly impaired the potency for spheroid formation, decreased the cell survival under fetal bovine serum deprivation and hypoxic conditions, but increased their sensitivity to anti-cancer drug of cisplatin and γ-ray. The enhanced expression of PKM2 seems to associate with the biological properties of cancer stem cells from A549 human lung cancer cells. Selective targeting of PKM2 may provide a new strategy for cancer therapy, especially for patients with therapeutic resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chang-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshishige
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Urata
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yu-Kang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fang-Fang
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Tou
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
authors.forename: Tao-Sheng
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000072283:A549 Cells; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D011878:Radiotherapy; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000097810:Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002945:Cisplatin; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D000097810:Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins; C497483:CD44 protein, human