PKM2 and cancer: The function of PKM2 beyond glycolysis

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer cells and is used by cancer cells for growth and survival. Pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme M2 (PKM2) is a limiting glycolytic enzyme that catalyzes the final step in glycolysis, which is key in tumor metabolism and growth. The present review discusses the expression and regulation of PKM2, and reports the dominant role that PKM2 plays in glycolysis to achieve the nutrient demands of cancer cell proliferation. In addition, the present study discusses the non-metabolic function of PKM2, and its role as a coactivator and protein kinase, which contributes to tumorigenesis. Furthermore, conflicting studies concerning the role of PKM2 as a therapeutic target are reviewed. The improved understanding of PKM2 may provide a noval approach for cancer treatment.

• Publication year

  2016

• Venue

  Oncology Letters

• Publication date

  2016-01-29

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3892/ol.2016.4168PMID 26998110PMCID 4774429
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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