A significant characteristic of cancer cell metabolism is the high level of aerobic glycolysis with high glucose consumption and lactate production. Phophoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the interconversion of 3-phosphoglycerate and 2-phosphoglycerate during glycolysis. It has been reported that this enzyme is commonly upregulated in many human cancers. PGAM1 plays an important role in coordinating glycolysis and anabolic activity to promote cancer cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms under these effects are still poorly understood. This review focuses on the most recent advances in the structure and functions of PGAM1, and PGAM1's role in glycolysis in cancer cells and regulators that modulate PGAM1's effects. Progress in understanding of PGAM1 will provide the rationale to support the development of new hypothesis-driven studies to define PGAM1's potential therapeutic implications for cancer treatment.
Keywords: PGAM1; Warburg effect; aerobic glycolysis; cancer therapy.
© 2013 UICC.