miR-143 inhibits glycolysis and depletes stemness of glioblastoma stem-like cells

Glioblastomas rely mainly on aerobic glycolysis to sustain proliferation and growth; however, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of metabolism in glioblastoma stem cells. We show that miR-143 is significantly down-regulated in glioma tissues and glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSLCs), while miR-143 over-expression inhibits glycolysis by directly targeting hexokinase 2, and promotes differentiation of GSLCs. Moreover, miR-143 inhibits proliferation of GSLCs under hypoxic conditions and decreases tumor formation capacity of GSLCs in vivo. We also show that a combination of miR-143 and 2-DG, a widely used glycolysis inhibitor, has synergistic effects against GSLCs. miR-143 is a potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.