Cancer Communications (Oct 2020)

Targeting lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) exerts antileukemic effects on T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  • Haizhi Yu,
  • Yafei Yin,
  • Yifang Yi,
  • Zhao Cheng,
  • Wenyong Kuang,
  • Ruijuan Li,
  • Haiying Zhong,
  • Yajuan Cui,
  • Lingli Yuan,
  • Fanjie Gong,
  • Zhihua Wang,
  • Heng Li,
  • Hongling Peng,
  • Guangsen Zhang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/cac2.12080
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 40, no. 10
pp. 501 – 517

Abstract

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Abstract Background T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) is an uncommon and aggressive subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In the serum of T‐ALL patients, the activity of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) is increased. We proposed that targeting LDHA may be a potential strategy to improve T‐ALL outcomes. The current study was conducted to investigate the antileukemic effect of LDHA gene‐targeting treatment on T‐ALL and the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods Primary T‐ALL cell lines Jurkat and DU528 were treated with the LDH inhibitor oxamate. MTT, colony formation, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays were performed to investigate the effects of oxamate on T‐ALL cells. Quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting analyses were applied to determine the related signaling pathways. A mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay was performed to evaluate ROS production after T‐ALL cells were treated with oxamate. A T‐ALL transgenic zebrafish model with LDHA gene knockdown was established using CRISPR/Cas9 gene‐editing technology, and then TUNEL, Western blotting, and T‐ALL tumor progression analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of LDHA gene knockdown on T‐ALL transgenic zebrafish. Results Oxamate significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of Jurkat and DU528 cells. It also arrested Jurkat and DU528 cells in G0/G1 phase and stimulated ROS production (all P < 0.001). Blocking LDHA significantly decreased the gene and protein expression of c‐Myc, as well as the levels of phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK‐3β) in the phosphatidylinositol 3′‐kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. LDHA gene knockdown delayed disease progression and down‐regulated c‐Myc mRNA and protein expression in T‐ALL transgenic zebrafish. Conclusion Targeting LDHA exerted an antileukemic effect on T‐ALL, representing a potential strategy for T‐ALL treatment.

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