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 Liriope muscari Baily′s Saponin C (DT‐13), a novel compound isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Liriope muscari (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.