title: AMPK signalling in health and disease.
abstract: In eukaryotic cells AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a major role in regulating cellular energy balance. AMPK responds to changes in intracellular adenine nucleotide levels, being activated by an increase in AMP/ADP relative to ATP. Activation of AMPK increases the rate of catabolic (ATP-generating) pathways and decreases the rate of anabolic (ATP-utilising) pathways. In addition to its role in maintaining intracellular energy balance, AMPK regulates whole body energy metabolism. Given its key role in controlling energy homeostasis, AMPK has attracted widespread interest as a potential therapeutic target for metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and, more recently, cancer. Here I review the regulation of AMPK and its potential as a target for therapeutic intervention in human disease.
authors.affiliation: MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College, London W12 0NN UK. Electronic address: david.carling@lms.mrc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carling
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases