Hypoxia‐Inducible Factor‐1α Regulates BNIP3‐Dependent Mitophagy and Mediates Metabolic Reprogramming Through Histone Lysine Lactylation Modification to Affect Glioma Proliferation and Invasion

ABSTRACT Objective Gliomas are the predominant form of malignant brain tumors. We investigated the mechanism of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) affecting glioma metabolic reprogramming, proliferation and invasion. Methods Human glioma cell U87 was cultured under hypoxia and treated with small interfering (si)HIF‐1α, si‐B cell lymphoma‐2/adenovirus E1B 19‐kDa interacting protein 3 (siBNIP3), si‐YT521‐B homology domain 2 (siYTHDF2), 3‐methyladenine and 2‐deoxyglucose, with exogenous sodium lactate‐treated normally‐cultured cells as a lactate‐positive control. Cellular hexokinase 2, lactate dehydrogenase A and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 enzyme activities, glucose uptake, and levels of lactic acid and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and HIF‐1α, glycolysis‐related proteins, mitophagy‐related proteins, histone H3 lysine 18 lactylation (H3K18la) and YTHDF2 were determined by ELISA, 2‐NBDG, kits, and Western blot. Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), and cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and mitophagy were evaluated by extracellular flux analysis, CCK‐8, Transwell, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining. H3K18la‐YTHDF2 relationship and YTHDF2‐BNIP3 interaction were assessed by ChIP and Co‐IP assays. Results Hypoxia‐induced highly‐expressed HIF‐1α in glioma cells increased glycolysis‐related protein levels, glycolytic enzyme activities, glucose uptake, lactic acid production, ATP level and ECAR, thereby promoting metabolic reprogramming, invasion and proliferation. HIF‐1α mediated metabolic reprogramming, proliferation and invasion through BNIP3‐dependent mitophagy, which were partly negated by mitophagy inhibition. HIF‐1α induced histone Kla modification to upregulate YTHDF2. YTHDF2 downregulation impeded YTHDF2‐BNIP3 interaction and inhibited HIF‐1α‐induced BNIP3‐dependent mitophagy, curbing glioma cell metabolic reprogramming, proliferation and invasion. Conclusions Hypoxia‐induced high HIF‐1α expression upregulated YTHDF2 through hH3K18la modification, enhanced YTHDF2‐BNIP3 interaction, and regulated BNIP3‐dependent mitophagy‐mediated metabolic reprogramming to affect glioma proliferation and invasion.