Tingting Lu1,
Qiurong Zhang1,
Xiao Wu1,
Senjun Liu2
1Department of Hematology, Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215600, China;
2Department of Hematology, Lishui City People's Hospital, Lishui, Zhejiang Province 323000, China.
For correspondence:- Senjun Liu
Email: Liusenjun_666@163.com Tel:+865782780108
Accepted: 30 May 2022
Published: 30 June 2022
Citation:
Lu T, Zhang Q, Wu X, Liu S.
KLF8 enhances acute myeloid leukemia cell growth and glycolysis via AKT/mTOR pathway. Trop J Pharm Res 2022; 21(6):1169-1175
doi:
10.4314/tjpr.v21i6.5
© 2022 The authors.
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Abstract
Purpose: To determine the role and mechanisms of Krüppel-like transcription factor 8 (KLF8) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Methods: The transcriptional and translational levels of KLF8 in AML cell lines were determined by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Two RNAs targeting KLF8 were transfected into KG-1 and HL-60 cells. The growth and apoptosis of AML cells were determined using CCK-8, 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, and western blot assays. Glycolysis was evaluated by relative glucose consumption, lactate generation, ATP levels, and hexokinase II (HK2), while glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) protein expression levels. AKT, phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and p-mTOR expression levels were assessed by western blot.
Results: KLF8 mRNA and protein expression levels were elevated in AML cells (p < 0.01). KLF8 knockdown in AML cells decreased cell viability, EdU-positivity, relative glucose consumption, lactate generation, ATP levels, and HK2 and GLUT1 protein levels (p < 0.01). Apoptosis increased in KG-1 and HL-60 cells, with enhanced Bax and reduced Bcl-2 protein levels, after transfection with sh-KLF8. The relative expression levels of p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR were reduced in KG-1 and HL-60 cells transfected with sh-KLF8.
Conclusion: Downregulation of KLF8 inhibits proliferation and glycolysis, and also promotes apoptosis in AML cells via AKT/mTOR pathway.
Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia, KLF8, Proliferation, Apoptosis, Glycolysis, AKT/mTOR