PDK1 is a member of the atypical glandular cell kinases family that regulates the activities of most atypical glandular cell kinases during different development stages and treatment of cancers. PDK1 is also a critical glucose metabolism enzyme regulating glucolysis or glucose oxidase in cells, and more research is needed to further understand the underlying mechanism. The research of PDK1 presented by recent studies focuses much on cancer treatment and has helped researchers gain much insight in this regard. Given the close relationship between inflammation and cancer, it is of great significance to discover the function of PDK1 and its regulating mechanism on special immune cells-macrophages. This review summarizes the recent findings regarding PDK1 in terms of regulating the function and metabolism of macrophage. The mechanism of PDK1 in regulating inflammatory secretion, migration, phagocytosis, and the energy metabolism of macrophage and a possible path to develop PDK1 related pharmaceutical products are discussed as well.
Keywords: PDK1; inflammation; macrophages; migration; phagocytosis.
Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.