Glycolysis as Primary Energy Source in Tumor Cell Chemotaxis

Abstract

The energy requirements via glycolytic pathways were directly measured in migrating tumor cells. Motility in the metastatic human melanoma cell line A2058, stimulated by insulinlike growth factor I (IGF–I), depends on glycolysis in the presence of glucose as its principal source of energy. Motility in glucose–free medium was 75% reduced and utilized mitochondrial respiration (inhibited by oligomycin). With increasing (physiologic) glucose concentrations, there was a dramatic shift to anaerobic glycolysis as the energy source and 93% elimination of the oligomycin inhibition of motility. Oxamate, an inhibitor of glycolysis, inhibited motility at all glucose concentrations. CO ₂ production from glycolysis and from the hexose monophosphate shunt was measured in migrating tumor cells. The time course and glucose–dosedependence of glycolytic CO ₂ production correlated directly with motility. In contrast, mitochondrial CO ₂ production was inversely related to glucose concentration. A monoclonal antibody for the IGF–I receptor inhibited both motility and glycolytic CO ₂ production, indicating that both processes are receptor mediated. [J Natl Cancer Inst 82:1836–1840, 1990]