Abstract
BackgroundIncreased expression of the transcription factor Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) has been reported to play an important role in the progression and development of multiple tumors, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate FOXM1 expression remain unknown, and the role of FOXM1 in aerobic glycolysis is still not clear.MethodsThe expression of FOXM1 and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) in normal brain tissues and glioma was detected in data from the TCGA database and in our specimens. The effect of NOX4 on the expression of FOXM1 was determined by Western blot, qPCR, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production assays, and luciferase assays. The functions of NOX4 and FOXM1 in aerobic glycolysis in glioblastoma cells were determined by a series of experiments, such as Western blot, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), lactate production, and intracellular ATP level assays. A xenograft mouse model was established to test our findings in vivo.ResultsThe expression of FOXM1 and NOX4 was increased in glioma specimens compared with normal brain tissues and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. Aberrant mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of NOX4 induced FOXM1 expression. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NOX4-derived MitoROS exert their regulatory role on FOXM1 by mediating hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) stabilization. Further research showed that NOX4-derived MitoROS-induced HIF-1α directly activates the transcription of FOXM1 and results in increased FOXM1 expression. Overexpression of NOX4 or FOXM1 promoted aerobic glycolysis, whereas knockdown of NOX4 or FOXM1 significantly suppressed aerobic glycolysis, in glioblastoma cells. NOX4-induced aerobic glycolysis was dependent on elevated FOXM1 expression, as FOXM1 knockdown abolished NOX4-induced aerobic glycolysis in glioblastoma cells both in vitro and in vivo.ConclusionIncreased expression of FOXM1 induced by NOX4-derived MitoROS plays a pivotal role in aerobic glycolysis, and our findings suggest that inhibition of NOX4-FOXM1 signaling may present a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.
Highlights
Increased expression of the transcription factor Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) has been reported to play an important role in the progression and development of multiple tumors, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate FOXM1 expression remain unknown, and the role of FOXM1 in aerobic glycolysis is still not clear
FOXM1 is high expressed in glioma To confirm the function of FOXM1 in the development of glioma, we investigated the expression of FOXM1 in normal brain and glioma specimens with different grades
We showed that glioma patients with high FOXM1 expression had a worse prognosis than patients with low FOXM1 expression in the The Cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database (Fig. 1f)
Summary
Increased expression of the transcription factor Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) has been reported to play an important role in the progression and development of multiple tumors, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate FOXM1 expression remain unknown, and the role of FOXM1 in aerobic glycolysis is still not clear. In recent years, altering metabolic gene expression in glycolysis has become widely regarded as a desirable target for cancer therapeutics. Blocking glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) with the smallmolecule inhibitor WZB117 downregulates glycolysis and inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo [4]. Targeting of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and related metabolic pathways offers efficacious strategies for cancer cell treatment [5]. Hexokinase 2 (HK2) depletion inhibits tumor growth and increases sensitivity to cell death inducers such as radiation and temozolomide [6]. The identification of initial oncogenic signaling is vital for the development of glycolysis inhibition strategies
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