Review Dissecting the Dual Role of AMPK in Cancer: From Experimental to Human Studies

The precise role of 50AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) in cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target is controversial. Although it is well established that activation of this energy sensor inhibits the main anabolic processes that sustain cancer cell proliferation and growth, AMPK activation can confer on cancer cells the plasticity to survive under metabolic stress such as hypoxia and glucose deprivation, which are commonly observed in fast grow-ing tumors. Thus, AMPK is referred to as both a "conditional" tumor suppressor and "contextual " oncogene. To add a further layer of complexity, AMPK activation in human cancer tissues and its correlation with tumor aggressiveness and progression appears to vary in different contexts. The current review discusses the different faces of this metabolic regulator, the therapeutic impli-cations of its modulation, and provides an overview of the most relevant data available on AMPK activation and AMPK-activating drugs in human studies. Mol Cancer Res; 13(7); 1–14. 2015 AACR