The 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master regulator of cellular homeostasis, has known roles in physiology; however, its role in pathological processes such as prostate cancer is less clear. Spatiotemporal regulation of AMPK complexes could be one of the mechanisms that governs AMPK's role in cancer. In this Review, Khan and Frigo hypothesize that different upstream stimuli will activate select subcellular AMPK complexes, and that this effect could help to explain the paradoxical role of AMPK in cancer.
- Ayesha S. Khan
- Daniel E. Frigo
