Requirement for ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 to mediate glycolysis and apoptosis resistance induced by Pten deficiency

Pten inactivation promotes cell survival in leukemia cells by activating glycolytic metabolism. We found that targeting ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) in Pten-deficient cells suppressed glycolysis and induced apoptosis. S6K1 knockdown decreased expression of HIF-1 alpha, and HIF-1 alpha was sufficient to restore glycolysis and survival of cells lacking S6K1. In the Pten(fl/fl) Mx1-Cre(+) mouse model of leukemia, S6K1 deletion delayed the development of leukemia. Thus, S6K1 is a critical mediator of glycolytic metabolism, cell survival, and leukemogenesis in Pten-deficient cells.