eEF-2 kinase is a critical regulator of Warburg effect through controlling PP2A-A synthesis

Oncogene. 2016 Dec 8;35(49):6293-6308. doi: 10.1038/onc.2016.166. Epub 2016 May 16.

Abstract

Cancer cells predominantly metabolize glucose by glycolysis to produce energy in order to meet their metabolic requirement, a phenomenon known as Warburg effect. Although Warburg effect is considered a peculiarity critical for survival and proliferation of cancer cells, the regulatory mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain incompletely understood. We report here that eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K), a negative regulator of protein synthesis, has a critical role in promoting glycolysis in cancer cells. We showed that deficiency in eEF-2K significantly reduced the uptake of glucose and decreased the productions of lactate and adenosine triphosphate in tumor cells and in the Ras-transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We further demonstrated that the promotive effect of eEF-2K on glycolysis resulted from the kinase-mediated restriction of synthesis of the protein phosphatase 2A-A (PP2A-A), a key factor that facilitates the ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation of c-Myc protein, as knockdown of eEF-2K expression led to a significant increase in PP2A-A protein synthesis and remarkable downregulation of c-Myc and pyruvate kinase M2 isoform, the key glycolytic enzyme transcriptionally activated by c-Myc. In addition, depletion of eEF-2K reduced the ability of the transformed cells to proliferate and enhanced the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. These results, which uncover a role of the eEF-2K-mediated control of PP2A-A in tumor cell glycolysis, provide new insights into the regulation of the Warburg effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Elongation Factor 2 Kinase / genetics
  • Elongation Factor 2 Kinase / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Protein Phosphatase 2 / biosynthesis*
  • Protein Phosphatase 2 / genetics
  • Transfection

Substances

  • EEF2K protein, human
  • Elongation Factor 2 Kinase
  • Protein Phosphatase 2