NDRG2 inhibits glycolysis in liver cancer cells is accompanied by the regulation of SIRT1

NDRG2 is a tumor suppressor, highly expressed in normal tissues but down-regulated in many cancers. This enzyme was involved in glycolysis by regulating glycolytic enzymes in ccRCC and colorectal cancer. However, the mechanism of NDRG2 regulating glycolysis is still not clear, and the function of NDRG2 in liver tumor glycolysis is completely unknown. In the present study, we first demonstrated the low expression of NDRG2 in liver tumor tissues and found that the survival rate of patients was negatively correlated with the expression of NDRG2. Subsequently, based on NDRG2 overexpressed and knockdown cell lines, NDRG2 was shown to have the ability to inhibit glycolysis in liver cancer cells. Finally, SIRT1, a deacetylase that plays important role in glycolysis regulation, is negatively regulated by NDRG2 in liver tumors. Our data enrich the understanding of the role of NDRG2 in tumor growth and improve the mechanism by which NDRG2 regulates glycolysis.