Fig 2: GCMSCs-derived HGF promotes HK2 expression by regulating c-Myc. (A) ELISA analysis of the HGF expression in BMMSC-CM and GCMSC-CM. (B) Immunoblotting of p-MET, total MET in MGC-803 cells treated with GCMSC-CM or GCMSC-CM+SGX-523 (4 nM) for 30 min. (C) Immunoblotting of p-MET, total MET in HGC-27 cells treated with GCMSC-CM or GCMSC-CM+SGX-523 (4 nM) for 30 min. (D) Immunoblotting of HK2 and c-Myc in MGC-803 cells treated with GCMSC-CM, GCMSC-CM+SGX-523 (4 nM), or GCMSC-CM+JQ1 (0.8 µM) for 48 h. (E) Quantitative statistics of the c-Myc and HK2 expression in MGC-803 cells. (F) Immunoblotting of HK2 and c-Myc in HGC-27 cells treated with GCMSC-CM, GCMSC-CM+SGX-523 (4 nM), or GCMSC-CM+JQ1 (0.8 µM) for 48 h. (G) Quantitative statistics of the c-Myc and HK2 expression in HGC-27 cells (n = 3; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001).

Fig 3: PDHa activity (a), PDHSer300 phosphorylation (b) PDK4 protein content (c), ACCSer212 phosphorylation (d) protein content representative blots of, PDHSer232 phosphorylation, PDHSer293 phosphorylation, PDH E1a, AMPKThr172 phosphorylation, AMPK (e) and HKII, GLUT4, LDHa protein content and ACC2 protein content (f).in non-exercised mice as well as 6h or 10h after 2h of treadmill running in IL-6 MKO and Control mice. Values are mean ± SE;(n = 9–10). *: significantly different from non-exercised within given genotype (p<0.05), ¤: significantly different from 6h within given genotype (p<0.05), #: significantly different from Control within given time point (p<0.05).

Fig 4: HK2 regulates photoreceptor survival after retinal detachment.a Representative images of TUNEL-stained photoreceptors (green) in detached regions of mouse retina 3 days post-retinal detachment. Nuclei of cells within ONL (outer nuclear layer) and INL (inner nuclear layer) are stained with DAPI (blue). b Quantification of TUNEL-positive cells in the ONL. c Quantitative analysis of HK2 protein levels 3 days after retinal detachment. HK2 is down-regulated following retinal detachment in WT mice. d Quantitative analysis of HK1 protein levels 3 days after retinal detachment. HK1 is downregulated following retinal detachment in cKO mice only. e Representative Western blot for data quantified in f. f Total HK1 protein levels are significantly enriched in the mitochondrial fraction in cKO 3-days post-retinal detachment in cKO animals versus WT animals. N = 3–6 animals per group, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001.

Fig 5: Hexokinase 2 is a direct target of miR-125b-5p in colon cancer. (A) The predicted binding sites of miR-125b-5p on 3' UTR of HK2. (B) HT-29 and SW620 cells were transfected with control miR or miR-125b-5p for 48 h. The protein expressions of HK2 were detected by Western blot. (C) HT-29 and (D) SW620 cells were cotransfected with luciferase reporter vectors containing WT-3' UTR or mutant 3' UTR of HK2 and control miR or miR-125b-5p. The relative luciferase activity was measured by luciferase assay. (E) A negative correlation between HK2 mRNA and miR-125b-5p expressions was observed from colon cancer tissues. Data are presented as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001.