Glucose catabolism in cancer cells: Regulation of the type II hexokinase promoter by glucose and cyclic AMP

The increased glucose consumption of many tumor cells depends to a large extent on the overexpression of hexokinase Type II. In a previous study we isolated and sequenced the hepatoma Type II hexokinase promoter and showed that it is activated by glucose in the highly glycolytic AS30D hepatoma cell line under study, but not activated in control hepatocytes [Mathupala, S.P., Rempel, A. and Pedersen, P.L. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 16918-16925]. Here we report that the promoter of the hexokinase Type II gene is maximally activated by glucose at concentrations above 5 mM. Moreover, the data strongly suggest that glucose can act alone without requirement for metabolism. Also, glucose-mediated promoter activation is markedly potentiated by cAMP. This response may serve as a strategy for cancer cells to maintain the hexokinase transcription rate high to ensure an efficient glucose utilization even under conditions where carbohydrates are limiting.