Abstract: Objective To explore whether heregulin-β1 (HRG-β1) can induce glycolysis and the role of HRG-β1-induced glycolysis in the migration of human breast cancer cell line MCF7. Methods MCF7 cells were treated with PBS (PBS group) or HRG-β1 for 12, 24 and 48 h. Culture media were harvested for glucose uptake and lactate production assays, and cells were collected and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) protein levels were detected by using Western blot. MCF7 cells were treated with PBS (PBS group), HRG-β1 or HRG-β1 plus oxamate (OX) for 24 h. Culture media were harvested for glucose uptake and lactate production assays, and cells were harvested and the protein levels of LDHA was detected by Western blot. The wound healing assay was used to detect the migration of MCF7 cells treated with PBS (PBS group), HRG-β1 or HRG-β1 plus OX for 48 h. Results MCF7 cells treated with HRG-β1 for 12, 24 and 48 h displayed higher levels of glucose uptake, lactate production and LDHA protein levels when the levels reached the peak at 24 h. The differences of glucose uptake, lactate production and LDHA protein levels between PBS group and HRG-β1 group were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Compared to HRG-β1 group, the glucose uptake of HRG-β1 plus OX treated group was not significantly different ( P>0.05), but the statistically significant decrease of lactate production and LDHA protein levels were noticed ( P<0.01 and P<0.05). When MCF7 cells were scratched for 48 h, the wound healing rate of control group, HRG-β1 group and HRG-β1 plus OX group was (49±5.09)%, (100±2.21)% and (51±4.10)% respectively. The difference of each group was statistically significant ( P<0.001). Conclusion HRG-β1 induces glycolysis via upregualtion of LDHA and HRG-β1-induced glycolysis promotes the migration of breast cancer cells line MCF7.