Figure 2.

Endometriotic cells are more glycolytic than normal endometrial cells via the expression of PDKs. (A) Normal endometrial THES and endometriotic 12Z cells were incubated for 1 to 3 days and the growth rates were measured using cell counting. (B) Cells were seeded in six-well culture plates, cultured for 24 h, and production of lactate in THES and 12Z cell culture media was measured using a commercially available lactate assay kit. Cells were seeded in six-well culture plates and cultured for 24 h. Expression levels of pyruvate metabolism-related enzymes (C) LDHA and p-PDH, and (E) PDK1 and 3 were examined using western blot analysis. GAPDH expression was used as internal control. mRNA expression level of cells was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. (D) mRNA level of PDKs was confirmed in both cell lines. Results of three independent experiments are presented as mean ± standard deviation. ^**P<0.05 and ^***P<0.001 compared with THES cell. PDKs, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases; LDHA, lactate dehydrogenase A; p-PDHA, phosphorylated-PDHA; PDHA, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α.