LKB1 and AMPK in cell polarity and division

LKB1 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are serine-threonine kinases implicated in key cellular pathways, including polarity establishment and energy sensing, respectively. Recent in vivo analyses in Drosophila have demonstrated vital roles for both AMPK and LKB1--in part through the myosin regulatory light chain--in cell polarity and cell division. Evidence from mammalian experiments also supports non-metabolic functions for LKB1 and AMPK. This review examines unanticipated AMPK functions for initiating and maintaining cell polarity and completing normal cell division. The ability of AMPK to sense energy status might be coupled with fundamental cell biological functions.     

Opinion: alternative views of AMP-activated protein kinase

Genes most closely related to adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase, including SAD kinases and Par-1 regulate cell polarity, although AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) modulates cellular energy status. LKB1 (Par-4) is required for normal activation of AMPK in the liver and also regulates cell polarity. AMPK is proposed to inhibit energy consuming activity while initiating energy producing activity during energy limitation. Demonstration that metformin, a common drug for Type 2 diabetes, requires LKB1 for full therapeutic benefit has increased interest in AMPK signaling. Despite the potential importance of AMPK signaling for diabetes, metabolic syndrome and even cancer, the developmental processes regulated by AMPK in genetically mutant animals require further elucidation. Mouse conditional null mutants for AMPK activity will allow genetic elucidation of AMPK function in vivo. This perspective focuses on sequence and structural moieties of AMPK and genetic analysis of AMPK mutations. Interestingly, the predicted protein structure of the carboxy-terminus of AMPKα resembles the carboxy-terminal KA-1 domain of MARK3, a Par-1 orthologue.     

AMP-activated protein kinase plays a role in the control of food intake

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the downstream component of a protein kinase cascade that acts as an intracellular energy sensor maintaining the energy balance within the cell. The finding that leptin and adiponectin activate AMPK to alter metabolic pathways in muscle and liver provides direct evidence for this role in peripheral tissues. The hypothalamus is a key regulator of food intake and energy balance, coordinating body adiposity and nutritional state in response to peripheral hormones, such as leptin, peptide YY-(3-36), and ghrelin. To date the hormonal regulation of AMPK in the hypothalamus, or its potential role in the control of food intake, have not been reported. Here we demonstrate that counter-regulatory hormones involved in appetite control regulate AMPK activity and that pharmacological activation of AMPK in the hypothalamus increases food intake. In vivo administration of leptin, which leads to a reduction in food intake, decreases hypothalamic AMPK activity. By contrast, injection of ghrelin in vivo, which increases food intake, stimulates AMPK activity in the hypothalamus. Consistent with the effect of ghrelin, injection of 5-amino-4-imidazole carboxamide riboside, a pharmacological activator of AMPK, into either the third cerebral ventricle or directly into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus significantly increased food intake. These results suggest that AMPK is regulated in the hypothalamus by hormones which regulate food intake. Furthermore, direct pharmacological activation of AMPK in the hypothalamus is sufficient to increase food intake. These findings demonstrate that AMPK plays a role in the regulation of feeding and identify AMPK as a novel target for anti-obesity drugs.     

Preactivation of AMPK by metformin may ameliorate the epithelial cell damage caused by renal ischemia

Alterations in epithelial cell polarity and in the subcellular distributions of epithelial ion transport proteins are key molecular consequences of acute kidney injury and intracellular energy depletion. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, is rapidly activated in response to renal ischemia, and we demonstrate that its activity is upregulated by energy depletion in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. We hypothesized that AMPK activity may influence the maintenance or recovery of epithelial cell organization in mammalian renal epithelial cells subjected to energy depletion. MDCK cells were ATP depleted through a 1-h incubation with antimycin A and 2-deoxyglucose. Immunofluoresence localization demonstrated that this regimen induces mislocalization of the Na-K-ATPase from its normal residence at the basolateral plasma membrane to intracellular vesicular compartments. When cells were pretreated with the AMPK activator metformin before energy depletion, basolateral localization of Na-K-ATPase was preserved. In MDCK cells in which AMPK expression was stably knocked down with short hairpin RNA, preactivation of AMPK with metformin did not prevent Na-K-ATPase redistribution in response to energy depletion. In vivo studies demonstrate that metformin activated renal AMPK and that treatment with metformin before renal ischemia preserved cellular integrity, preserved Na-K-ATPase localization, and led to reduced levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, a biomarker of tubular injury. Thus AMPK may play a role in preserving the functional integrity of epithelial plasma membrane domains in the face of energy depletion. Furthermore, pretreatment with an AMPK activator before ischemia may attenuate the severity of renal tubular injury in the context of acute kidney injury.     

Cryptotanshinone induces G1 cell cycle arrest and autophagic cell death by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase signal pathway in HepG2 hepatoma

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) performs a pivotal function in energy homeostasis via the monitoring of intracellular energy status. Once activated under the various metabolic stress conditions, AMPK regulates a multitude of metabolic pathways to balance cellular energy. In addition, AMPK also induces cell cycle arrest or apoptosis through several tumor suppressors including LKB1, TSC2, and p53. LKB1 is a direct upstream kinase of AMPK, while TSC2 and p53 are direct substrates of AMPK. Therefore, it is expected that activators of AMPK signal pathway might be useful for treatment or prevention of cancer. In the present study, we report that cryptotanshinone, a natural compound isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, robustly activated AMPK signaling pathway, including LKB1, p53, TSC2, thereby leading to suppression of mTORC1 in a number of LKB1-expressing cancer cells including HepG2 human hepatoma, but not in LKB1-deficient cancer cells. Cryptotanshinone induced HepG2 cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in an AMPK-dependent manner, and a portion of cells underwent apoptosis as a result of long-term treatment. It also induced autophagic HepG2 cell death in an AMPK-dependent manner. Cryptotanshinone significantly attenuated tumor growth in an HCT116 cancer xenograft in vivo model, with a substantial activation of AMPK signal pathways. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time that cryptotanshinone harbors the therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer through AMPK activation.     

AMPK directly inhibits NDPK through a phosphoserine switch to maintain cellular homeostasis

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key energy sensor that regulates metabolism to maintain cellular energy balance. AMPK activation has also been proposed to mimic benefits of caloric restriction and exercise. Therefore, identifying downstream AMPK targets could elucidate new mechanisms for maintaining cellular energy homeostasis. We identified the phosphotransferase nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), which maintains pools of nucleotides, as a direct AMPK target through the use of two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, we mapped the AMPK/NDPK phosphorylation site (serine 120) as a functionally potent enzymatic "off switch" both in vivo and in vitro. Because ATP is usually the most abundant cellular nucleotide, NDPK would normally consume ATP, whereas AMPK would inhibit NDPK to conserve energy. It is intriguing that serine 120 is mutated in advanced neuroblastoma, which suggests a mechanism by which NDPK in neuroblastoma can no longer be inhibited by AMPK-mediated phosphorylation. This novel placement of AMPK upstream and directly regulating NDPK activity has widespread implications for cellular energy/nucleotide balance, and we demonstrate in vivo that increased NDPK activity leads to susceptibility to energy deprivation-induced death.     

Adrenergic regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase in brown adipose tissue in vivo

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an evolutionarily conserved serine-threonine kinase that senses cellular energy status, is activated by stress and neurohumoral stimuli. We investigated the mechanisms by which adrenergic signaling alters AMPK activation in vivo. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is highly enriched in sympathetic innervation, which is critical for regulation of energy homeostasis. We performed unilateral denervation of BAT in wild type (WT) mice to abolish neural input. Six days post-denervation, UCP-1 protein levels and AMPK α2 protein and activity were reduced by 45%. In β(1,2,3)-adrenergic receptor knock-out mice, unilateral denervation led to a 25-45% decrease in AMPK activity, protein expression, and Thr(172) phosphorylation. In contrast, acute α- or β-adrenergic blockade in WT mice resulted in increased AMPK α Thr(172) phosphorylation and AMPK α1 and α2 activity in BAT. But short term blockade of α-adrenergic signaling in β(1,2,3)-adrenergic receptor knock-out mice resulted in decreased AMPK activity in BAT, which strongly correlated with enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK on Ser(485/491), a site associated with inhibition of AMPK activity. Both PKA and AKT inhibitors attenuated AMPK Ser(485/491) phosphorylation resulting from α-adrenergic blockade and prevented decreases in AMPK activity. In vitro mechanistic studies in BAT explants showed that the effects of α-adrenergic blockade appeared to be secondary to inhibition of oxygen consumption. In conclusion, adrenergic pathways regulate AMPK activity in vivo acutely via alterations in Thr(172) phosphorylation and chronically through changes in the α catalytic subunit protein levels. Furthermore, AMPK α Ser(485/491) phosphorylation may be a novel mechanism to inhibit AMPK activity in vivo and alter its biological effects.     

Isoproterenol instigates cardiomyocyte apoptosis and heart failure via AMPK inactivation-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress

A prolonged or excessive adrenergic activation leads to myocyte loss and heart dysfunction; however, how it contributes to heart failure remains poorly defined. Here we show that isoproterenol (ISO) induced aberrant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptotic cell death, which was inhibited by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in vitro and in vivo. Persistent ISO stimulation suppressed the AMPK phosphorylation and function, resulting in enhanced ER stress and the subsequent cell apoptosis in cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo. AMPK activation decreased the aberrant ER stress, apoptosis, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) release in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes, which was blocked by AMPK inhibitor Compound C. Importantly, increased ER stress and apoptosis were observed in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes isolated from AMPKα2^?/? mice. Inhibition of ER stress attenuated the apoptosis but failed to reverse AMPK inhibition in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes. Moreover, metformin administration activated AMPK and reduced both ER stress and apoptosis in ISO-induced rat heart failure in vivo. We conclude that ISO, via AMPK inactivation, causes aberrant ER stress, cardiomyocyte injury, BNP release, apoptosis, and hence heart failure in vivo, all of which are inhibited by AMPK activation.     

LKB1 and AMPK maintain epithelial cell polarity under energetic stress

LKB1 is mutated in both familial and spontaneous tumors, and acts as a master kinase that activates the PAR-1 polarity kinase and the adenosine 5'monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK). This has led to the hypothesis that LKB1 acts as a tumor suppressor because it is required to maintain cell polarity and growth control through PAR-1 and AMPK, respectively. However, the genetic analysis of LKB1-AMPK signaling in vertebrates has been complicated by the existence of multiple redundant AMPK subunits. We describe the identification of mutations in the single Drosophila melanogaster AMPK catalytic subunit AMPKalpha. Surprisingly, ampkalpha mutant epithelial cells lose their polarity and overproliferate under energetic stress. LKB1 is required in vivo for AMPK activation, and lkb1 mutations cause similar energetic stress-dependent phenotypes to ampkalpha mutations. Furthermore, lkb1 phenotypes are rescued by a phosphomimetic version of AMPKalpha. Thus, LKB1 signals through AMPK to coordinate epithelial polarity and proliferation with cellular energy status, and this might underlie the tumor suppressor function of LKB1.     

Pharmacological inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase provides neuroprotection in stroke

The restoration of energy balance during ischemia is critical to cellular survival; however, relatively little is known concerning the regulation of neuronal metabolic pathways in response to central nervous system ischemia. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master sensor of energy balance in peripheral tissues, is phosphorylated and activated when energy balance is low. We investigated whether AMPK might also modulate neuronal energy homeostasis during ischemia. We utilized two model systems of ischemia, middle cerebral artery occlusion in vivo and oxygen-glucose deprivation in vitro, to delineate changes in AMPK activity incurred from a metabolic stress. AMPK is highly expressed in cortical and hippocampal neurons under both normal and ischemic conditions. AMPK activity, as assessed by phosphorylation status, is increased following both middle cerebral artery occlusion and oxygen-glucose deprivation. Pharmacological inhibition of AMPK by either C75, a known modulator of neuronal ATP levels, or compound C reduced stroke damage. In contrast, activation of AMPK by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside exacerbated damage. Mice deficient in neuronal nitric-oxide synthase demonstrated a decrease in both stroke damage and AMPK activation compared with wild type, suggesting a possible interaction between NO and AMPK activation in stroke. These data demonstrate a role for AMPK in the response of neurons during metabolic stress and suggest that in ischemia the activation of AMPK is deleterious. The ability to manipulate pharmacologically neuronal energy balance during ischemia represents an innovative approach to neuroprotection.     

腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶：肿瘤治疗新靶点

腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMP—activated proteinkinase,AMPK）是真核细胞内发现的一类与细胞能量代谢有关激酶家族中的一员,被称之为“能量感应器”。当细胞内AMP／ATP值升高时,AMPK被激活。研究发现,在肿瘤细胞中,活化的AMPK可协同相关抑癌因子调节细胞周期、细胞凋亡以及蛋白质合成,最终影响细胞的增殖。因而,AMPK可以通过感应细胞能量水平的变化来调节细胞增殖。这给肿瘤治疗提供了一定的启示,即以肿瘤细胞能量代谢特点而探寻抑制肿瘤细胞增殖的途径。     

AMPK phosphorylation of raptor mediates a metabolic checkpoint

AMPK is a highly conserved sensor of cellular energy status that is activated under conditions of low intracellular ATP. AMPK responds to energy stress by suppressing cell growth and biosynthetic processes, in part through its inhibition of the rapamycin-sensitive mTOR (mTORC1) pathway. AMPK phosphorylation of the TSC2 tumor suppressor contributes to suppression of mTORC1; however, TSC2-deficient cells remain responsive to energy stress. Using a proteomic and bioinformatics approach, we sought to identify additional substrates of AMPK that mediate its effects on growth control. We report here that AMPK directly phosphorylates the mTOR binding partner raptor on two well-conserved serine residues, and this phosphorylation induces 14-3-3 binding to raptor. The phosphorylation of raptor by AMPK is required for the inhibition of mTORC1 and cell-cycle arrest induced by energy stress. These findings uncover a conserved effector of AMPK that mediates its role as a metabolic checkpoint coordinating cell growth with energy status.     

Downregulation of AMP-activated protein kinase by Cidea-mediated ubiquitination and degradation in brown adipose tissue

We previously showed that Cidea(-/-) mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity through the upregulation of energy expenditure. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), consisting of catalytic alpha subunit and regulatory subunits beta and gamma, has a pivotal function in energy homoeostasis. We show here that AMPK protein levels and enzymatic activity were significantly increased in the brown adipose tissue of Cidea(-/-) mice. We also found that Cidea is colocalized with AMPK in the endoplasmic reticulum and forms a complex with AMPK in vivo through specific interaction with the beta subunit of AMPK, but not with the alpha or gamma subunit. When co-expressed with Cidea, the stability of AMPK-beta subunit was dramatically reduced due to increased ubiquitination-mediated degradation, which depends on a physical interaction between Cidea and AMPK. Furthermore, AMPK stability and enzymatic activity were increased in Cidea(-/-) adipocytes differentiated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts or preadipocytes. Our data strongly suggest that AMPK can be regulated by Cidea-mediated ubiquitin-dependent proteosome degradation, and provide a molecular explanation for the increased energy expenditure and lean phenotype in Cidea-null mice.     

Basal autophagy induction without AMP-activated protein kinase under low glucose conditions

When ATP levels in a cell decrease, various homeostatic intracellular mechanisms initiate attempts to restore ATP levels. As a prominent energy sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) represents one molecular gauge that links energy levels to regulation of anabolic and catabolic processes to restore energy balance. Although pharmacological studies have suggested that an AMPK activator, AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside) may link AMPK activation to autophagy, a process that can provide short-term energy within the cell, AICAR can have AMPK-independent effects. Therefore, using a genetic-based approach we investigated the role of AMPK in cellular energy balance. We demonstrate that genetically altered cells, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), lacking functional AMPK display altered energy balance under basal conditions and die prematurely under low glucose-serum starvation challenge. These AMPK mutant cells appear to be abnormally reliant on autophagy under low glucose basal conditions, and therefore cannot rely further on autophagy like wildtype cells during further energetic stress and instead undergo apoptosis. This data suggests that AMPK helps regulate basal energy levels under low glucose. Further, AMPK mutant cells show increased basal phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15, a residue phosphorylated under glucose deprivation. We propose that cells lacking AMPK function have altered p53 activity that may help sensitize these cells to apoptosis under energetic stress.     

The AMP-activated protein kinase cascade--a unifying system for energy control

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the downstream component of a protein kinase cascade that acts as an intracellular energy sensor maintaining the energy balance within the cell. This pivotal role of AMPK places it in an ideal position for regulating whole-body energy metabolism, and AMPK might play a part in protecting the body from metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. Mutations in AMPK cause cardiac hypertrophy and arrhythmia. Recent findings have identified LKB1--a protein kinase that is mutated in a hereditary form of cancer--as a candidate for the upstream kinase in the AMPK cascade. AMPK could provide a link in human diseases of which the underlying cause is due to defects in energy metabolism.     

AMP-activated protein kinase: balancing the scales

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the central component of a protein kinase cascade that plays a key role in the regulation of energy control. AMPK is activated in response to an increase in the ratio of AMP:ATP within the cell. Activation requires phosphorylation of threonine 172 within the catalytic subunit of AMPK by an upstream kinase. The identity of the upstream kinase in the cascade remained frustratingly elusive for many years, but was recently identified as LKB1, a kinase that is inactivated in a rare hereditary form of cancer called Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Once activated, AMPK initiates a series of responses that are aimed at restoring the energy balance within the cell. ATP-consuming, anabolic pathways, such as fatty acid synthesis and protein synthesis are switched-off, whereas ATP-generating, catabolic pathways, such as fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis, are switched-on. More recent studies have indicated, that AMPK plays an important role in the regulation of whole body energy metabolism. The adipocyte-derived hormones, leptin and adiponectin, activate AMPK in peripheral tissues, including skeletal muscle and liver, increasing energy expenditure. In the hypothalamus, AMPK is inhibited by leptin and insulin, hormones which suppress feeding, whilst ghrelin, a hormone that increases food intake, activates AMPK. Furthermore, direct pharmacological activation of AMPK in the hypothalamus by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribose increases food intake in rats, demonstrating that AMPK plays a direct role in the regulation of feeding. Taken together these findings indicate that AMPK has a pivotal role in regulating pathways that control both energy expenditure and energy intake.     

AMPK:细胞能量中枢

腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶(AMPactivated proteinkinase,AMPK)是真核细胞中高度保守的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶,以异源三聚体的形式广泛存在于真核生物体内,是细胞的能量感受器,在能量代谢调控中起极其重要的作用。肝激酶B1(LKB1)、Ca2+/CaM-依赖蛋白激酶激酶β(CaMKKβ)、AMP/ATP或ADP/ATP比值升高以及诸如运动肌肉收缩等生理刺激均可以激活AMPK,进而调节细胞的能量代谢网络,提高其应对内外环境变化的能力,从而维持细胞水平乃至整个机体的稳定状态。活化的AMPK可以增强分解代谢,抑制合成代谢,上调ATP水平,参与细胞糖代谢、脂肪代谢、蛋白质代谢等能量代谢过程,增加细胞能量储备,应对能量缺乏。同时活化的AMPK参与细胞的生长、增殖、凋亡、自噬等基本生物学过程。AMPK是研究肥胖,糖尿病等能量代谢性疾病的核心。肿瘤细胞存在特殊的能量代谢方式,其发生,生长,转移与能量代谢失衡密切相关。AMPK与肿瘤细胞异常的能量代谢相关,为肿瘤发生、发展机制研究提供新的策略。本文主要探讨AMPK的结构、激活机制、参与的物质能量代谢和细胞的基本生物学过程以及与肿瘤发生的关联。     

Anti-obesity effects of alpha-lipoic acid mediated by suppression of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) functions as a fuel sensor in the cell and is activated when cellular energy is depleted. Here we report that alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA), a cofactor of mitochondrial enzymes, decreases hypothalamic AMPK activity and causes profound weight loss in rodents by reducing food intake and enhancing energy expenditure. Activation of hypothalamic AMPK reverses the effects of alpha-LA on food intake and energy expenditure. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of glucose decreases hypothalamic AMPK activity, whereas inhibition of intracellular glucose utilization through the administration of 2-deoxyglucose increases hypothalamic AMPK activity and food intake. The 2-deoxyglucose-induced hyperphagia is reversed by inhibiting hypothalamic AMPK. Our findings indicate that hypothalamic AMPK is important in the central regulation of food intake and energy expenditure and that alpha-LA exerts anti-obesity effects by suppressing hypothalamic AMPK activity.     

Survival advantage of AMPK activation to androgen-independent prostate cancer cells during energy stress

Androgen-independent prostate cancer usually develops as a relapse following androgen ablation therapy. Removing androgen systemically causes vascular degeneration and nutrient depletion of the prostate tumor tissue. The fact that the malignancy later evolves to androgen-independence suggests that some cancer cells are able to survive the challenge of energy/nutrient deprivation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important manager of energy stress. The present study was designed to investigate the role of AMPK in contributing to the survival of the androgen-independent phenotype. Most of the experiments were carried out in the androgen-dependent LNCaP cells and the androgen-independent C4-2 cells. These two cell lines have the same genetic background, since the C4-2 line is derived from the LNCaP line. Glucose deprivation (GD) was instituted to model energy stress encountered by these cells. The key findings are as follows. First, the activation of AMPK by GD was much stronger in C4-2 cells than in LNCaP cells, and the robustness of AMPK activation was correlated favorably with cell viability. Second, the response of AMPK was specific to energy deficiency rather than to amino acid deficiency. The activation of AMPK by GD was functional, as demonstrated by appropriate phosphorylation changes of mTOR and mTOR downstream substrates. Third, blocking AMPK activation by chemical inhibitor or dominant negative AMPK led to increased apoptotic cell death. The observation that similar results were found in other androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines, including CW22Rv1 abd VCaP, provided further assurance that AMPK is a facilitator on the road to androgen-independence of prostate cancer cells.     

AMPK：细胞能量中枢

腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMP activated protein kinase,AMPK）是真核细胞中高度保守的丝氨酸／苏氨酸蛋白激酶,以异源三聚体的形式广泛存在于真核生物体内,是细胞的能量感受器,在能量代谢调控中起极其重要的作用。肝激酶B1（LKB1）、Ca^2＋／CaM-依赖蛋白激酶激酶β（CaMKKβ）、AMP／ATP或ADP／ATP比值升高以及诸如运动肌肉收缩等生理刺激均可以激活AMPK,进而调节细胞的能量代谢网络,提高其应对内外环境变化的能力,从而维持细胞水平乃至整个机体的稳定状态。活化的AMPK可以增强分解代谢,抑制合成代谢,上调ATP水平,参与细胞糖代谢、脂肪代谢、蛋白质代谢等能量代谢过程,增加细胞能量储备,应对能量缺乏。同时活化的AMPK参与细胞的生长、增殖、凋亡、自噬等基本生物学过程。AMPK是研究肥胖,糖尿病等能量代谢性疾病的核心。肿瘤细胞存在特殊的能量代谢方式,其发生,生长,转移与能量代谢失衡密切相关。AMPK与肿瘤细胞异常的能量代谢相关,为肿瘤发生、发展机制研究提供新的策略。本文主要探讨AMPK的结构、激活机制、参与的物质能量代谢和细胞的基本生物学过程以及与肿瘤发生的关联。