High glucose inhibits autophagy and promotes the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) ranks among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, characterized by its complex etiology and slow research progress. Diabetes, as an independent risk factor for CRC, has been widely certified. Consequently, this study centers on elucidating the intricacies of CRC cells initiation and progression within a high-glucose environment.

Methods: A battery of assays was employed to assess the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells cultured under varying glucose concentrations. Optimal glucose levels conducive to cells' proliferation and migration were identified. Western blot analyses were conducted to evaluate alterations in Apoptosis, Autophagy, and EMT-related proteins in CRC cells under high-glucose conditions. The expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-associated proteins was assessed using western blot. The effect of high glucose on xenograft growth was investigated in vivo by MC38 cells, and changes in inflammatory factors (IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α, IL-5, and IL-12) were measured via serum ELISA.

Results: Our experiments demonstrated that elevated glucose concentrations promoted both the proliferation and migration of CRC cells; the most favorable glucose dose is 20 mM. Western blot analyses revealed a decrease in apoptotic proteins, such as Bim, Bax, and Caspase-3 with increasing glucose levels. Concurrently, the expression of EMT-related proteins, including N-Cadherin, vimentin, ZEB1, and MMP9, increased. High-glucose cultured cells exhibited elevated levels of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway proteins. In the xenograft model, tumor cells stimulated by high glucose exhibited accelerated growth, larger tumor volumes, and heightened KI67 expression of immunohistochemistry. ELISA experiments revealed higher expression of IL-4 and IL-13 and lower expression of TNF-α and IL-5 in the serum of high-glucose-stimulated mice.

Conclusion: The most favorable dose and time for tumor cells proliferation and migration is 20 mM, 48 h. High glucose fosters CRC cell proliferation and migration while suppressing Autophagy through the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

PI3K; autophagy; colorectal cancer; high‐glucose.