Description
RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1) is also known PKB, Protein kinase B alpha, PKB alpha, Proto-oncogene c-Akt and RAC-PK-alpha, which belongs to the protein kinase superfamily, AGC Ser/Thr protein kinase family and RAC subfamily and is expressed in prostate cancer and levels increase from the normal to the malignant state (at protein level). AKT1 is one of 3 closely related serine/threonine-protein kinases (AKT1, AKT2 and AKT3) called the AKT kinase, and which regulate many processes including metabolism, proliferation, cell survival, growth and angiogenesis. AKT is responsible of the regulation of glucose uptake by mediating insulin-induced translocation of the SLC2A4/GLUT4 glucose transporter to the cell surface. AKT regulates also the storage of glucose in the form of glycogen by phosphorylating GSK3A at 'Ser-21' and GSK3B at 'Ser-9', resulting in inhibition of its kinase activity. Phosphorylation of GSK3 isoforms by AKT is also thought to be one mechanism by which cell proliferation is driven. AKT regulates also cell survival via the phosphorylation of MAP3K5 (apoptosis signal-related kinase)