SETD5 Regulates Glycolysis in Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Fuels Tumor Growth

Although glycolysis plays a pivotal role in breast cancer stem-like cell (BCSC) reprogramming, the molecular mechanisms that couple glycolysis to cancer stem-like cells remain unclear. SETD5 is a previously uncharacterized member of the histone lysine methyltransferase family. The goal of this study was to explore the mechanisms underlying the promotion of stem-like and glycolysis activation traits by SETD5. Previous studies have shown that overexpression of SETD5 in breast cancer tissues is associated positively with progression. The present study showed that SETD5 expression was enriched in BCSCs. Down-regulation of SETD5 significantly decreased BCSC properties and glycolysis in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, SETD5 and glycolytic enzymes were accumulated in the central hypoxic regions of subcutaneous tumor tissues. Bioinformatic analysis predicted SETD5 binding to E1A binding protein p300 (EP300), and subsequently to hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha). The mechanistic study found that SETD5 is an upstream effector of EP300/HIF-1 alpha. SETD5 knockdown reduced the expression of HIF-1 alpha, hexokinase-2, and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase in the nucleus after treatment with cobalt chloride, a chemical hypoxia mimetic agent that activates HIF-1 alpha to accumulate in the nucleus. Therefore, SETD5 is required for glycolysis in BCSCs through binding to EP300/HIF-1 alpha and could be a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer patients.