Targeting pyruvate kinase M2 contributes to radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

•PKM2 was elevated in almost five NSCLC cell lines examined compared to autologous normal lung bronchial epithelial cell.•Knockdown of PKM2 expression enhanced IR-induced apoptosis and autophagy, accompanied by inhibiting AKT and PDK1 phosphorylation, but enhancing ERK and GSK3βphosphorylation in vitro and in vivo.