PFKL Inhibition by DT‐13: A Novel Approach to Combat Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Aerobic glycolysis modulates proliferation, apoptosis, immune evasion, and targeted drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Therefore, inhibiting aerobic glycolysis could represent a novel chemotherapeutic strategy for HCC. The effects of <i>Liriope muscari</i> Baily's Saponin C (DT-13), a novel compound isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine <i>Liriope muscari</i> (Decne) Baily, on HCC and its underlying mechanism remain unknown. This study revealed that DT-13 induces apoptosis and inhibits the in vivo and in vitro proliferation of HCC cells. Furthermore, DT-13 significantly reduced glucose consumption and lactate production. Moreover, it was observed that DT-13 could inhibit Phosphofructokinase-1 liver (PFKL) type via c-myc signaling to modulate the aerobic glycolysis, proliferation, and apoptosis of HCC. Moreover, DT-13 improved the anticancer effects of sorafenib in HCC. In summary, this study provided evidence for the potential application of DT-13 in HCC treatment.