Shikonin, vitamin K3 and vitamin K5 inhibit multiple glycolytic enzymes in MCF-7 cells.

Glycolysis is the most important source of energy for the production of anabolic building blocks in cancer cells. Therefore, glycolytic enzymes are regarded as potential targets for cancer treatment. Previously, naphthaquinones, including shikonin, vitamin K3 and vitamin K5, have been proven to decrease the rate of glycolysis in cancer cells, which is partly due to suppressed pyruvate kinase activity. In the present study, enzymatic assays were performed using MCF-7 cell lysate in order to screen the profile of glycolytic enzymes in cancer cells inhibited by shikonin, vitamin K3 and vitamin K5, in addition to pyruvate kinase. Results revealed that hexokinase, phosphofructokinase-1, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase produced in the process of glycolysis were inhibited by shikonin, vitamin K3 and vitamin K5. The results indicated that shikonin, vitamin K3 and vitamin K5 are chemical inhibitors of glycolytic enzymes in cancer cells and have potential uses in translational medical applications.