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Schofield et al. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2020;6:10 Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2019.43 Metastasis and Treatment

Review Open Access

Unlikely role of glycolytic enzyme a-enolase in
cancer metastasis and its potential as a prognostic

biomarker

Lachlan Schofield , Lisa F. Lincz 1,2,3 , Kathryn A. Skelding 1,2
1,2
1 Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation and Translation, School of Biomedical
Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
2 Hunter Cancer Research Alliance and Cancer Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights,
New South Wales 2305, Australia.
3 Hunter Haematology Research Group, Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, Waratah, New South Wales 2298, Australia.

Correspondence to: Dr. Kathryn Skelding, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, University
Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia. E-mail: kathryn.skelding@newcastle.edu.au

How to cite this article: Schofield L, Lincz LF, Skelding KA. Unlikely role of glycolytic enzyme a-enolase in cancer metastasis and
its potential as a prognostic biomarker. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2020;6:10. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2019.43

Received: 5 Dec 2019 First Decision: 4 Mar 2020 Revised: 5 Mar 2020 Accepted: 24 Mar 2020 Published: 17 Apr 2020
Science Editor: Stephen J. Ralph Copy Editor: Jing-Wen Zhang Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract
Reliance on glycolysis for energy production is considered a hallmark of cancer and the glycolytic enzyme
a-enolase is overexpressed in a range of cancer types. However, recent studies have revealed that a-enolase
is involved in a variety of unrelated physiological processes and can be found in multiple unexpected cellular
locations. This review focuses on the unlikely role of a-enolase as an extracellular plasminogen-binding receptor
localised to the plasma membrane. Conversion of plasminogen to plasmin on the surface of cancer cells enhances
their ability to invade through stroma by activating collagenases and degrading fibrin as well as extracellular
matrix proteins. Increased expression of a-enolase is associated with increased migration and invasion of cancer
cells, and decreased metastasis-free survival in patients with several cancer types, including non-small cell lung,
pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancers. Due to its overexpression in a range of cancer types and multi-functional
roles in key areas of tumour metabolism and metastasis, a-enolase may be useful as a universal cancer prognostic
biomarker or therapeutic target.

Keywords: Alpha-enolase, ENO1, metastasis, migration, invasion, proliferation, plasminogen-binding receptor

© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
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