Hexokinase 2-Mediated Warburg Effect Is Required for PTEN- and p53-Deficiency-Driven Prostate Cancer Growth

• HK2 is upregulated in prostate cancer cells harboring Pten/p53 mutations
• Pten deletion increases HK2 mRNA translation by activating the AKT-mTORC1 axis
• p53 loss enhances HK2 mRNA by reducing miR143-mediated mRNA degradation
• HK2 is required for Pten-/p53-deficiency-driven prostate tumor growth in vivo

SummaryAccumulating evidence suggests that codeletion of the tumor suppressor genes Pten and p53 plays a crucial role in the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer in vivo. However, the molecular mechanism underlying Pten-/p53-deficiency-driven prostate tumorigenesis remains incompletely understood. Building upon insights gained from our studies with Pten-/p53-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), we report here that hexokinase 2 (HK2) is selectively upregulated by the combined loss of Pten and p53 in prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, Pten deletion increases HK2 mRNA translation through the activation of the AKT-mTORC1-4EBP1 axis, and p53 loss enhances HK2 mRNA stability through the inhibition of miR143 biogenesis. Genetic studies demonstrate that HK2-mediated aerobic glycolysis, known as the Warburg effect, is required for Pten-/p53-deficiency-driven tumor growth in xenograft mouse models of prostate cancer. Our findings suggest that HK2 might be a therapeutic target for prostate cancer patients carrying Pten and p53 mutations.

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