Glycolytic enzymes PGK1 and PKM2 as novel transcriptional targets of PPARγ in breast cancer pathophysiology

J Drug Target. 2013 Feb;21(2):161-74. doi: 10.3109/1061186X.2012.736998. Epub 2012 Nov 6.

Abstract

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor and plays important roles in breast cancer cell proliferation. The complexity of the underlying biochemical and molecular mechanisms of breast cancer and the involvement of PPARγ in breast cancer pathophysiology are unclear. In this study, we carried out prediction of the peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) motifs in 2332 genes reported to be involved in breast cancer in literature. A total of 178 genes were found to have PPRE (DR1/DR2) and/or PPAR-associated conserved motif (PACM) motifs. We further constructed protein-protein interaction network, disease gene network and gene ontology (GO) analyses to identify novel key genes for experimental validation. We identified two genes in the glycolytic pathway (phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2)) at the ATP production steps and experimentally validated their repression by PPARγ in two breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. Further analysis suggested that this repression leads to decrease in ATP levels and apoptosis. These investigations will help us in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which PPARγ regulates the cellular energy pathway and the use of its ligands in human breast cancer therapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic* / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic* / drug effects
  • Glycolysis / drug effects
  • Glycolysis / genetics
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Membrane Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • PPAR gamma / genetics*
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism
  • Phosphoglycerate Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phosphoglycerate Kinase / genetics*
  • Prostaglandin D2 / analogs & derivatives
  • Prostaglandin D2 / pharmacology
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Response Elements / genetics
  • Thyroid Hormone-Binding Proteins
  • Thyroid Hormones / genetics*
  • Transcriptional Activation* / drug effects

Substances

  • 15-deoxyprostaglandin J2
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • PPAR gamma
  • Thyroid Hormones
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • PGK1 protein, human
  • Phosphoglycerate Kinase
  • Prostaglandin D2