Astragaloside IV Suppressed CST1 Expression to Regulate Proliferation and Glycolysis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Abstract

Abstract Background: Lung cancer is an all-too-common malignant growth, and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 75% to 80% of all occurrences. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is a crucial active substance of Astragalus, which has immunomodulatory and anti-tumour functions. The effects of AS-IV on the proliferation and glycolysis progress of NSCLC cells are currently unknown. Methods: qRT-PCR was used to determine the expression of cysteine protease inhibitor (CST1) mRNA in tissues and cells. The changes in CST1, hexokinase 2 (HK2) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) protein levels were ascertained by Western blotting. CCK-8, EdU staining and cell scratch assays were used to measure the variations in the biological properties of NSCLC cells. Lactate production and glucose consumption were measured using kits. Additionally, a mouse subcutaneous xenograft model of NSCLC was constructed to evaluate the influence of AS-IV on the volume and weight of NSCLC tissues, and Ki-67 staining was applied to evaluate cell proliferation. Results: CST1 displayed a marked expression in NSCLC. AS-IV impeded the proliferation, migration and survival of NSCLC cells in a dose-dependent manner. AS-IV also reduced HK2 and PKM2 expression levels and inhibited glycolysis in NSCLC cells. Overexpression of CST1 partly restored the repressive effect of AS-IV on NSCLC progression. However, silencing CST1 strengthened the restraining influence of AS-IV treatment on NSCLC. In addition, AS-IV was able to inhibit tumour growth in vivo. Conclusion: AS-IV can suppress CST1 expression, causing a decrease in the proliferation, migration and glycolysis advancement of NSCLC cells.