To explore the effects and mechanism of resveratrol on the proliferation, migration and glycolysis of breast cancer cells by regulating the liver kinase B1 (LKB1)/AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway.

Human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were divided into four groups: control group, low-concentration experimental group (25 μmol·L^-1 resveratrol), high-concentration experimental group (50 μmol·L^-1 resveratrol) and inhibitor group (50 μmol·L^-1 resveratrol + 4 μmol·L^-1 AMPK inhibitor BML-275). The cell proliferation of each group was detected by thiazolyl blue (MTT) assay and Edu staining; the cell migration was detected by scratch test; the cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry; the glucose consumption and lactic acid production of cells in each group were measured by glucose content kit and lactic acid content kit, respectively; the protein expressions of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), hexokinase 2 (HK2), LKB1 and AMPK in each group were detected by Western blot.

The cell proliferation inhibition rates of control group, low-concentration experimental group, high-concentration experimental group and inhibitor group were (0±0)%, (32.27±3.68)%, (56.75±5.82)% and (24.41±3.06)%, respectively; the Edu-positive rates were (52.64±6.95)%, (30.72±4.21)%, (18.86±2.54)% and (41.37±4.88)%, respectively; the scratch healing rates were (34.24±3.82)%, (23.67±2.74)%, (14.85±2.03)% and (29.74±3.42)%, respectively; the cell apoptosis rates were (3.04±0.32)%, (21.81±2.64)%, (34.43±3.86)% and (12.67±1.93)%, respectively; the glucose consumption levels were (31.74±3.52), (23.18±2.64), (14.33±1.67) and (28.27±3.12) μmol·L^-1, respectively; the lactic acid production levels were (48.12±4.43), (31.27±3.75), (18.85±2.14) and (42.36±4.19) μmol·L^-1, respectively; the relative expression levels of GLUT1 were 1.14±0.12, 0.76±0.08, 0.41±0.04 and 0.94±0.09, respectively; the relative expression levels of LDHA were 1.32±0.14, 0.89±0.09, 0.47±0.05 and 1.13±0.12, respectively; the relative expression levels of HK2 were 0.97±0.09, 0.61±0.06, 0.34±0.04 and 0.86±0.09, respectively; the relative expression levels of LKB1 were 0.93±0.10, 1.38±0.14, 1.75±0.17 and 1.12±0.11, respectively; the relative expression levels of AMPK were 1.02±0.11, 1.56±0.16, 2.04±0.23 and 1.18±0.13, respectively. Compared with control group, the above indicators in the low- and high-concentration experimental groups were statistically significantly different (all P<0.05); compared with the high-concentration experimental group, the above indicators in the inhibitor group were statistically significantly different (all P<0.05).

Resveratrol may inhibit the proliferation, migration and glycolysis of breast cancer cells by activating the LKB1/AMPK pathway.