PIM2-mediated phosphorylation of hexokinase 2 is critical for tumor growth and paclitaxel resistance in breast cancer

Oncogene. 2018 Nov;37(45):5997-6009. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0386-x. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Abstract

Hexokinase-II (HK2) is a key enzyme involved in glycolysis, which is required for breast cancer progression. However, the underlying post-translational mechanisms of HK2 activity are poorly understood. Here, we showed that Proviral Insertion in Murine Lymphomas 2 (PIM2) directly bound to HK2 and phosphorylated HK2 on Thr473. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that phosphorylated HK2 Thr473 promoted its protein stability through the chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) pathway, and the levels of PIM2 and pThr473-HK2 proteins were positively correlated with each other in human breast cancer. Furthermore, phosphorylation of HK2 on Thr473 increased HK2 enzyme activity and glycolysis, and enhanced glucose starvation-induced autophagy. As a result, phosphorylated HK2 Thr473 promoted breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, PIM2 kinase inhibitor SMI-4a could abrogate the effects of phosphorylated HK2 Thr473 on paclitaxel resistance in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings indicated that PIM2 was a novel regulator of HK2, and suggested a new strategy to treat breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / physiology*
  • Female
  • Hexokinase / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Paclitaxel / pharmacology
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • PIM2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • HK2 protein, human
  • Hexokinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Paclitaxel