Akt: versatile mediator of cell survival and beyond.
The serine/threonine kinase Akt has been intensely studied for its role in growth factor-mediated cell survival for the past 5 years. On the other hand, the ongoing research effort has recently uncovered novel regulatory mechanisms and downstream effectors of Akt that demonstrate the involvement of Akt in other cellular functions such as cell cycle progression, angiogenesis, and cancer cell invasion/metastasis. Furthermore, recent studies using whole model organisms suggest additional roles for Akt in important diseases such as aging and diabetes. The following review addresses these recent advances in the understanding of Akt function.
Kim
Dohoon
D
National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Cell Growth Regulation, Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon 305-701, Korea.
Chung
Jongkyeong
J
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002470:Cell Survival; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D005609:Free Radicals; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
C085126:FOXO1 protein, human; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D005609:Free Radicals; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C506433:CASP9 protein, human; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D005947:Glucose