A study of PKM2, PFK-1, and ANT1 expressions in cervical biopsy tissues in China

This present study explored the association of Pyruvate Kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2), Phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK-1) and Adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT1) with cervical carcinoma. A case–control method was designed by the collected 95 cervical biopsy samples, which were divided into 30 controls and 60 cases. Cases were subdivided into mild cervical carcinoma (MCC-25), intermediate cervical carcinoma (ICC-20), and severe cervical carcinoma (SCC-20) by method of cervical pathology. The expression of PKM2, PFK-1, and ANT1 was examined by methods of immunohistochemistry and western blotting (WB). The results showed that the positive proportions of PKM2 and PFK-1 in case group were higher than that of control, and the increased positive proportions of PKM2 and PFK-1 were also revealed with the order of Control, MCC, ICC, SCC (P < 0.05). Further, the results of WB confirmed the enhanced expressions of PKM2 and PFK-1 in case group and the increasing trend of PKM2 and PFK-1 expressions in Control, MCC, ICC, and SCC groups. In addition, the WB result of ANT1 showed a lower level of expression in SCC group, while the positive proportion of ANT1 was not significant between cases group and control. In conclusion, PKM2 and PFK-1 genes are associated closely with cervical carcinoma. The enhanced expressions of PKM2 and PFK-1 indicate one developing signal of cervical carcinoma.