The Effect of Silencing HIF-1α Gene in BxPC-3 Cell Line on Glycolysis-Related Gene Expression, Cell Growth, Invasion, and Apoptosis

Nutr Cancer. 2015;67(8):1314-23. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2015.1085584. Epub 2015 Nov 17.

Abstract

Hypoxia has been proved to be a typical character of solid tumors. Tumor cells prefer to use glucose through the glycolysis pathway instead of aerobic respiration. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying this so-called Warburg effect remains elusive. In the current study, siRNA was synthesized and transfected into BxPC-3 cell line to silence the expression of HIF-1α gene. It was found that hypoxia induced hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) overexpression in BxPC-3 cells, enhanced the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 and lactate dehydrogenase A, thus facilitating glycolysis and making tumor cells more tolerant to hypoxic stress. The silencing of HIF-1α gene significantly attenuated glycolysis under hypoxic conditions, inhibited the growth and invasion ability of BxPC-3 cells, and enhanced hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Hypoxia
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Glycolysis / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics*
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / physiology*
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase 5
  • Lactic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Transfection

Substances

  • HIF1A protein, human
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Isoenzymes
  • Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Acetyl-Transferring Kinase
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Lactic Acid
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase 5
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases