Glycolysis-mTORC1 crosstalk drives proliferation of patient-derived endometrial cancer spheroid cells with ALDH activity

Abstract

Cancer stem cells are associated with aggressive phenotypes of malignant tumors. A prominent feature of uterine endometrial cancer is the activation of the PI3K–Akt–mTOR pathway. In this study, we present variations in sensitivities to a PI3K–Akt–mTORC1 inhibitor among in vitro endometrial cancer stem cell-enriched spheroid cells from clinical specimens. The in vitro sensitivity was consistent with the effects observed in in vivo spheroid-derived xenograft tumor models. Our findings revealed a complementary suppressive effect on endometrial cancer spheroid cell growth with the combined use of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and PI3K–Akt inhibitors. In the PI3K–Akt–mTORC1 signaling cascade, the influence of ALDH on mTORC1 was partially channeled through retinoic acid-induced lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) activation. LDHA inhibition was found to reduce endometrial cancer cell growth, aligning with the effects of mTORC1 inhibition. Building upon our previous findings highlighting ALDH-driven glycolysis through GLUT1 in uterine endometrial cancer spheroid cells, curbing mTORC1 enhanced glucose transport via GLUT1 activation. Notably, elevated LDHA expression correlated with adverse clinical survival and escalated tumor grade, especially in advanced stages. Collectively, our findings emphasize the pivotal role of ALDH–LDHA–mTORC1 cascade in the proliferation of endometrial cancer. Targeting the interaction between mTORC1 and ALDH-influenced glycolysis holds promise for developing novel strategies to combat this aggressive cancer.