Vacuolar H + -ATPase Subunit V0C Regulates Aerobic Glycolysis of Esophageal Cancer Cells via PKM2 Signaling

• Published in: Cells (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2019-09, Vol.8 (10), p.1137
• Main Authors: Son, Sung Wook, Chau, Gia Cac, Kim, Seong-Tae, Um, Sung Hee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidification; Adenosine triphosphatase; Adenosine triphosphate; aerobic glycolysis; Aerobiosis - physiology; Amino acids; Antibodies; ATP; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell Movement - genetics; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Cells, Cultured; Cyclin-dependent kinases; Enzymes; Esophageal cancer; esophageal cancer cell; Esophageal Neoplasms - genetics; Esophageal Neoplasms - metabolism; Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology; Esophagus; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; Glycolysis; Glycolysis - genetics; H+-transporting ATPase; HeLa Cells; Homeostasis; Humans; Hydrogen; Hypoxia; Invasiveness; Kinases; L-Lactate dehydrogenase; Lactic acid; Medical prognosis; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Metabolism; motility; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Nuclear transport; pH effects; Phosphorylation; Protein Subunits - physiology; Protein Transport - genetics; Proteins; Pyruvate kinase; pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme 2 (PKM2); Pyruvic acid; Regulatory sequences; Signal Transduction - genetics; Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins; Thyroid Hormones - metabolism; Triphosphatase; Tyrosine; vacuolar H+-ATPase subunit V0C; Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases - physiology
• ISSN: 2073-4409; 2073-4409
• DOI: 10.3390/cells8101137

The vacuolar H -adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) subunit V0C (ATP6V0C), a proton-conducting, pore-forming subunit of vacuolar ATPase, maintains pH homeostasis and induces organelle acidification. The intracellular and extracellular pH of cancer cells affects their growth; however, the role of ATP6V0C in highly invasive esophageal cancer cells (ECCs) remains unclear. In this study, we examined the role of ATP6V0C in glucose metabolism in ECCs. The ATP6V0C depletion attenuated ECC proliferation, invasion, and suppressed glucose metabolism, as indicated by reduced glucose uptake and decreased lactate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in cells. Consistent with this, expression of glycolytic enzyme and the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) were also decreased by ATP6V0C knockdown. Mechanistically, ATP6V0C interacted with pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2), a key regulator of glycolysis in ECCs. The ATP6V0C depletion reduced PKM2 phosphorylation at tyrosine residue 105 (Tyr ), leading to inhibition of nuclear translocation of PKM2. In addition, ATP6V0C was recruited at hypoxia response element (HRE) sites in the lactate dehydrogenase A ( ) gene for glycolysis. Thus, our data suggest that ATP6V0C enhances aerobic glycolysis and motility in ECCs.