Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 7, 2026

A Multiplexed Luciferase-based Screening Platform for Interrogating Cancer-associated Signal Transduction in Cultured Cells
10:13

A Multiplexed Luciferase-based Screening Platform for Interrogating Cancer-associated Signal Transduction in Cultured Cells

Published on: July 3, 2013

Cross-talk between the CK2 and AKT signaling pathways in cancer

Maria Ruzzene1, Jessika Bertacchini2, Alex Toker3

  • 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.

Advances in Biological Regulation
|April 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Protein kinase CK2 (CK2) and AKT signaling pathways are closely interconnected, influencing cell fate. Understanding their complex cross-talk is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies targeting these kinases.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Protein kinase CK2 (CK2) and AKT signaling pathways are critical regulators of cellular processes.
  • These pathways exhibit significant cross-regulation through direct physical interactions and shared downstream effectors.
  • Dysregulation of CK2 and AKT is implicated in various diseases, particularly cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the complex isoform-specific and context-dependent cross-talk between CK2 and AKT.
  • To highlight the implications of this interplay for cell fate determination.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering this functional relationship in therapeutic strategies targeting CK2 and/or AKT.

Main Methods:

  • The study is a review and conceptual analysis, synthesizing existing research.
  • It focuses on the molecular mechanisms of CK2-AKT interaction and cross-talk.
  • Analysis of downstream effectors and their role in sustained AKT activation.

Main Results:

  • CK2 and AKT directly interact and phosphorylate each other, leading to sustained AKT activation.
  • Intense cross-talk occurs through key downstream effectors, further reinforcing pathway activation.
  • The interplay is complex, involving specific isoforms and depending on the cellular context.

Conclusions:

  • The intricate cross-talk between CK2 and AKT significantly influences cell fate.
  • Therapeutic strategies targeting CK2 and AKT must account for their complex functional interplay.
  • Considering this cross-talk is essential for optimizing the efficacy of cancer therapies.

More Related Videos

Identification of Novel CK2 Kinase Substrates Using a Versatile Biochemical Approach11:11

Identification of Novel CK2 Kinase Substrates Using a Versatile Biochemical Approach

Published on: February 21, 2019

Primary Sjogren's Syndrome Associated with Lung Adenocarcinoma: Probing the Potential Common Pathogenic Mechanisms and Experimental Verification10:21

Primary Sjogren's Syndrome Associated with Lung Adenocarcinoma: Probing the Potential Common Pathogenic Mechanisms and Experimental Verification

Published on: September 20, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...