The effects of PGC-1α on the proliferation and energy metabolism of malignant endometrial cancer cells

BACKGROUND It is well known that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) plays an important role in tissue energy metabolism. However, the roles of PGC-1α in malignant endometrial cancer remain unknown. METHODS Forty cases of endometrial carcinoma, 15 cases with proliferative endometrial tissues, and 21 cases with normal endometrial tissues were collected. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA levels of PGC-1α and estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ). ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) was used to detect the concentrations of pyruvate kinase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. The results were analyzed using medical statistical methods. RESULTS The mRNA levels of PGC-1α and ERRγ in the endometrial carcinoma tissues and hyperplasic endometrial tissues were significantly greater than those in the normal endometria. The mRNA levels of PGC-1α and ERRγ in the endometrial carcinoma patients with type 2 diabetes were higher than those in patients without diabetes. The mRNA levels of PGC-1α and ERRγ in the endometrial adenocarcinomas increased with clinical staging, depth of myometrial invasion, and increases in the number of metastatic lymph nodes. The PGC-1α mRNA level was positively correlated with ERRγ in the endometrial carcinoma tissues. The mRNA levels of PGC-1α were positively correlated with the concentrations of pyruvate kinase and isocitrate dehydrogenase in the endometrial carcinoma tissues, and similar results were found for ERRγ. CONCLUSION Our results suggested that the upregulation of PGC-1α and ERRγ in endometrial cancer might be a requirement for cancer cell energy metabolism, which contributes to the development of endometrial cancer.