title: LKB1/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Links between cancer and metabolism have been suggested for a long time but compelling evidence for this hypothesis came from the recent molecular characterization of the LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway as a tumor suppressor axis. Besides the discovery of somatic mutations in the LKB1 gene in certain type of cancers, a critical emerging point was that the LKB1/AMPK axis remains generally functional and could be stimulated by pharmacological molecules such as metformin in cancer cells. In addition, AMPK plays a central role in the control of cell growth, proliferation and autophagy through the regulation of mTOR activity, which is consistently deregulated in cancer cells. Targeting of AMPK/mTOR is thus an attractive strategy in the development of therapeutic agents against non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this review, the LKB1/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway is described, highlighting its protective role, and opportunities for therapeutic intervention, and clinical trials in NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. manxiangli@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Shao-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Man-Xiang
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011494:Protein Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C109790:STK11 protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000091162:AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases