FOCUS on New Cancer Therapeutic Targets. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality and is largely driven by metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of metabolism, and AMPK activity is down-regulated in HCC. In a paper just out in Science Advances, a group at Baylor showed, using genetic as well as pharmacological methods, that AMPK activation prevented HCC development. They employed the AMPK activator MK8722 and showed that it substantially reduced tumor formation in two different models of HCC. These findings identify AMPK as a potential new therapeutic target and shine a light on the connection between metabolic dysregulation and cancer.
FOCUS Biomolecules can supply MK8722 for research applications. Contact us for more information.
