Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1: An Effective Therapeutic Target in Cancer

Ailin Qiu1, Xiaosha Wen2, Qingshuang Zou3

  • 1Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China.

Insights

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) is crucial for tumor cell energy production and cancer progression. Inhibiting PGK1 shows promise for developing new cancer therapies by targeting its multifaceted roles in tumor growth and drug resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) is a key enzyme in glycolysis, essential for adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) production in cancer cells.
  • PGK1 contributes to the Warburg effect, a hallmark of cancer metabolism.
  • Beyond glycolysis, PGK1 influences autophagy, the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), and tumor drug resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the expression, structure, and functions of PGK1 in cancer.
  • To elucidate PGK1's role in tumor growth, migration, invasion, and posttranslational modifications (PTMs).
  • To highlight the therapeutic potential of PGK1 inhibitors in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on PGK1 in various cancers.
  • Analysis of PGK1 expression patterns and correlation with patient prognosis.
  • Examination of PGK1's involvement in cellular signaling pathways and PTMs.

Main Results:

  • Elevated PGK1 expression is linked to poor prognosis in multiple cancer types, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers.
  • PGK1 acts as an intracellular protein kinase, coordinating tumor progression through PTMs.
  • PGK1's diverse roles underscore its significance in oncogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • PGK1 is a critical factor in tumor progression and a potential therapeutic target.
  • Understanding PGK1's functions and interactions is vital for developing novel anti-cancer strategies.
  • Targeting PGK1 offers a promising avenue for improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.6K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
6.5K
Protein Kinases and Phosphatases02:54

Protein Kinases and Phosphatases

Proteins undergo chemical modifications that trigger changes in the charge, structure, and conformation of the proteins. Phosphorylation, acetylation, glycosylation, nitrosylation, ubiquitination, lipidation, methylation, and proteolysis are various protein modifications that regulate protein activity. Such modifications are usually enzyme-driven.
Protein kinases
Many proteins in the cell are regulated by phosphorylation, the addition of a phosphate group. A family of enzymes called kinases...
13.1K
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
2.5K
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
8.5K
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...
3.8K