Objective:To study the expression of transcription factor 12 (TCF12) in colorectal cancer cells, and to explore the effects of TCF12 on proliferation, migration, and aerobic glycolysis of colorectal cancer HT-29 cells and its mechanism.Methods:After culturing, HT-29 cells were divided into a control group and a knockdown group based on treatment conditions, and were transfected with 50 nmol/L of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and TCF12 siRNA, respectively. On the basis of the knockdown group, HT-29 cells were infected with adenovirus vector overexpressing αB-crystallin (CRYAB) with an infection multiplicity of 50, which was set as the overexpression group. The relative expression of TCF12 in HT-29 cells was detected using Western blotting. The cell survival rate, cell clone number and cell migration number of HT-29 cells were detected using cell counting kit-8, clone formation assay and cell invasion assay, respectively. Glucose uptake, relative lactic acid production and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level of HT-29 cells were detected by related kits. The relative expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), hexokinase 2 (HK2), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), CRYAB, phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (p-PI3K)/PI3K and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt)/Akt proteins were detected by Western blotting. Data were analyzed by an independent sample t test or one-way analysis of variance. Results:The relative expression of TCF12 protein in the knockdown group was lower than that in the control group (0.14±0.03 vs 0.99±0.05, t=7.526, P<0.01). The cell survival rate, the cell clone number and the cell migration number per unit field of view in the knockdown group were all lower than those in the control group [(60.00±5.10)% vs (94.67±2.08)%, t=15.368, P<0.01; 52±5 vs 148±6, t=23.164, P<0.01; 26±4 vs 78±4, t=18.265, P<0.01]. Glucose uptake, relative lactic acid production and ATP level in the knockdown group were lower than those in the control group [(0.41±0.04) mg/ml vs (1.27±0.07) mg/ml, t=22.567, P<0.01; (55.00±6.08)% vs (98.00±4.58)%, t=18.257, P<0.01; (8.33±1.25) μmol/L vs (19.67±1.70) μmol/L, t=13.165, P<0.01]. The relative expression of GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA proteins in the knockdown group were all lower than those in the control group (0.38±0.05 vs 0.98±0.09, 0.12±0.03 vs 0.97±0.04, and 0.64±0.05 vs 0.99±0.06, all P<0.01). The relative expression of CRYAB, p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins in the knockdown group were all lower than those in the control group (0.18±0.04 vs 0.92±0.03, t=11.265, P<0.01; 0.34±0.10 vs 0.92±0.04, t=18.257, P<0.01; 0.51±0.04 vs 1.11±0.07, t=13.165, P<0.01). The cell survival rate, the cell clone number and the cell migration number per unit field of view p in the overexpression group were all higher than those in the knockdown group [(97.00±6.56)% vs (45.67±6.03)%, t=12.762, P<0.01; 136.67±5.69 vs 44.33±6.03, t=22.585, P<0.01; 57.33±5.51 vs 24.67±4.51, t=25.312, P<0.01]. Glucose uptake, relative lactic acid production and ATP level in the overexpression group were all higher than those in the knockdown group [(1.25±0.08) mg/ml vs (0.51±0.05) mg/ml, t=22.164, P<0.01; (44.00±3.06)% vs (19.67±3.06)%, t=25.822, P<0.01; (21.00±2.00) μmol/L vs (9.33±1.53) μmol/L, t=18.876, P<0.01]. The relative expression level of CRYAB, p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins in the overexpression group were all higher than those in the knockdown group (6.00±0.63 vs 0.96±0.24, t=12.79, P<0.01; 2.13±0.25 vs 0.10±0.03, t=13.90, P<0.01; 2.07±0.21 vs 0.46±0.04, t=13.17, P<0.01). Conclusions:TCF12 may promote the proliferation, migration and aerobic glycolysis of colorectal cancer cells by regulating CRYAB/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.