Cancer-associated IDH mutations induce Glut1 expression and glucose metabolic disorders through a PI3K/Akt/mTORC1-Hif1α axis

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1/2) mutations and their key effector 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) have been reported to promote oncogenesis in various human cancers. To elucidate molecular mechanism(s) associated with IDH1/2 mutations, we established mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) cells and human colorectal cancer cells stably expressing cancer-associated IDH1(R132C) or IDH2(R172S), and analyzed the change in metabolic characteristics of the these cells. We found that IDH1/2 mutants induced intracellular 2-HG accumulation and inhibited cell proliferation. Expression profile analysis by RNA-seq unveiled that glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) was induced by the IDH1/2 mutants or treatment with 2-HG in the MEF cells. Consistently, glucose uptake and lactate production were increased by the mutants, suggesting the deregulation of glucose metabolism. Furthermore, PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and Hif1α expression were involved in the up-regulation of Glut1. Together, these results suggest that Glut1 is a potential target regulated by cancer-associated IDH1/2 mutations.