The effects of hypoxia on mitochondrial function and metabolism in gastric cancer cells

BACKGROUND: A number of studies have found that metabolic disorders are the characteristic manifestations of tumor cells. However, the effects of hypoxic environment on mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism of tumor cells were still unclear. The study wanted to explore the regulatory mechanism of hypoxic environment on mitochondrial function and metabolism in gastric cancer cells. METHODS: The animal model of gastric cancer and MKN45 were treated in a hypoxic environment. Mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were analyzed by flow cytometry, qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of glycose metabolism key enzymes, damage repair genes and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers in gastric cancer. RESULTS: Compared with 2,000 m normal gastric cancer tissue, the decreased of mitochondrial membrane potential and the production of ROS reduced, the expressions of glucose metabolism genes [the M1 isoform of Hexokinase (HK1), pyruvate kinase (PKM), Succinate dehydrogenase (SDHA), Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)], homologous recombination repair gene (RAD51) and repair DNA double-stranded broken gene (ASTCT2) increased, and aerobic respiration reduced in gastric cancer cells. In the hypoxic environment, the decreased of mitochondrial membrane potential reduced, the production of ROS and mtDNA copies increased, HK1 expression increased, the expressions of SDHA, G6PD, RAD51 and ASCT-2 decreased, and the aerobic respiration decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxia plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial functions in gastric cancer cells by promoting glycolysis and inhibiting mitochondrial aerobic respiration capacity.