HK2-mediated augmentation of endothelial cell glycolysis promotes placental vascular disorders through lactylation and pyroptosis

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Preeclampsia (PE) involves complex metabolic-inflammatory interactions, yet the mechanistic links among glycolysis, protein lactylation, and pyroptosis in placental pathogenesis remain undefined. This study explores their tripartite relationship with PE development by combining bioinformatics analysis of PE-associated transcriptomes with experimental validation using placental tissues from PE patients and healthy controls. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we utilize in vitro models involving hypoxic endothelial cell cultures, pharmacological glycolysis inhibition via 2-deoxyglucose, and genetic modulation of hexokinase 2 (HK2) expressions through siRNA silencing and plasmid-based overexpression. Molecular profiling is used to assess the expressions of key glycolytic enzymes, lactylation markers, and pyroptosis-related factors. Compared with control placental tissues, PE placental tissues present significantly higher expression of glycolytic enzymes, elevate protein lactylation levels, and increase pyroptosis markers. Similarly, hypoxic endothelial cells exhibit coordinated upregulation of these three pathways. Notably, pharmacological glycolysis inhibition significantly reduces both lactylation and pyroptosis levels. Genetic experiments further demonstrate that HK2 silencing decreases glycolytic activity, subsequently attenuating lactylation and pyroptosis, whereas HK2 overexpression has opposite effects, underscoring its central regulatory role in this metabolic–inflammatory axis. Collectively, these findings indicate that HK2-mediated glycolysis drives placental vascular endothelial lactylation and pyroptosis, revealing a novel mechanistic pathway in PE pathophysiology.

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