Novel miR-490-3p/hnRNPA1-b/PKM2 axis mediates the Warburg effect and proliferation of colon cancer cells via the PI3K/AKT pathway

Figure 6 Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein A1-b promotes SW620 and HCT116 cells proliferation by enhancing the Warburg effect through the PI3K/AKT pathway. A: The p-AKT expression level after the addition of PI3K/AKT pathway blocker Ly294002 was verified via western blot. GAPDH was used as the internal reference; B and C: SW620 and HCT116 cells were transfected with control or heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) overexpression plasmid or pathway blocker Ly294002 for 48 h. Then glucose uptake and lactate production were measured. Scale bar: 100 μm; D: SW620 and HCT116 cells with the addition of Ly294002 were assessed for cell viability by the cell counting kit-8 assay; E: 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine incorporation assays were performed in control or hnRNPA1-b overexpression or Ly294002 supplementation in SW620 and HCT116 cells. The percentage of proliferating cells (red fluorescence) to total cells (blue fluorescence) was calculated. Scale bar, 100 μm. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001 vs OE-NC; ^dP < 0.05, ^eP < 0.01, ^fP < 0.001 vs OE-NC + ly294002, n = 3. OE-NC: Overexpression normal control; OE-A1-b: Overexpression of hnRNPA1-b.