Enhanced glucose metabolism mediated by CD147 contributes to immunosuppression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

From a metabolic perspective, cancer may be considered as a metabolic disease characterized by reprogrammed glycolytic metabolism. The aim of the present study was to investigate CD147-mediated glucose metabolic regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its contribution to altered immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Several HCC cell lines and corresponding nude mice xenografts models differing in CD147 expressions were established to directly investigate the role of CD147 in the reprogramming of glucose metabolism, and to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses and flow cytometry were used to identify the relationship between reprogrammed glycolysis and immunosuppression in HCC. Upregulated CD147 expressions were found to be associated with enhanced expressions of GLUT1, MCT1 in HCC tumorous tissues. CD147 promoted the glycolytic metabolism in HCC cell lines in vitro via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. A positive correlation existed between a profile of immunosuppressive lymphocytes infiltration and CD147 expression in HCC tissues. Accumulation of FOXP3-expressing regulatory T cells was induced under a stimulation with lactate in vitro. In conclusion, CD147 promoted glycolytic metabolism in HCC via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and was related to immunosuppression in HCC.

• Authors: Xiaofeng Li, Yufan Zhang, Wenchao Ma, Qiang Fu, Jianjing Liu, Guotao Yin, Peihe Chen, Dong Dai, Wei Chen, Lisha Qi, Xiaozhou Yu, Wengui Xu
• Journal: Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII (Cancer Immunol Immunother) Vol. 69 Issue 4 Pg. 535-548 (Apr 2020) ISSN: 1432-0851 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 31965268 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Basigin
• Glucose

Topics

• Adult
• Animals
• Basigin (genetics, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (genetics)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Glucose (metabolism)
• Glycolysis
• HEK293 Cells
• Hep G2 Cells
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Mice, Nude
• Middle Aged
• Signal Transduction (genetics, immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology, metabolism)
• Transplantation, Heterologous
• Tumor Microenvironment (genetics, immunology)