NFκB up-regulation of glucose transporter 3 is essential for hyperactive mammalian target of rapamycin-induced aerobic glycolysis and tumor growth

Accumulating evidence indicates that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) exerts a crucial role in aerobic glycolysis and tumorigenesis, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely obscure. Results from Tsc1- or Tsc2-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and human cancer cell lines consistently indicate that the expression of glucose transporter 3 (Glut3) is dramatically up-regulated by mTOR. The rapamycin-sensitive mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), but not the rapamycin-insensitive mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2), was involved in the regulation of Glut3 expression. Moreover, mTORC1 enhances Glut3 expression through the activation of the IKK/NFκB pathway. Depletion of Glut3 led to the suppression of aerobic glycolysis, the inhibition of cell proliferation and colony formation, and the attenuation of the tumorigenic potential of the cells with aberrantly hyper-activated mTORC1 signaling in nude mice. We conclude that Glut3 is a downstream target of mTORC1, and it is critical for oncogenic mTORC1-mediated aerobic glycolysis and tumorigenesis. Hence Glut3 may be a potential target for therapy against cancers caused by the aberrantly activated mTORC1 signaling.