Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Highlight
  • Published:

Signalling

Pathway paradox

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 7, pages 4–5 (2006)Cite this article

...two papers now identify an unexpected function for the AKT pathway in cancer cells.

Although previous studies have indicated that AKT activation induces cancer-cell invasion, both groups now show, albeit using different mechanisms, that AKT can block cell migration and invasion. As reported in Molecular Cell, Yoeli-Lerner and colleagues found that signalling through AKT blocked the activity of the transcription factor NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) by promoting NFAT ubiquitylation — which is mediated, in part, by the E3 ubiquitin ligase HDM2 (human homologue of mouse double minute-2) — and its subsequent proteasomal degradation. The authors acknowledged that other mechanisms might also be involved and cautioned that the three AKT isoforms might not share the same cellular functions.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPERS

  1. Yoeli-Lerner, M. et al. Akt blocks breast cancer cell motility and invasion through the transcription factor NFAT. Mol. Cell 23 Nov 2005 (doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2005.10.033)

  2. Irie, H. Y. et al. Distinct roles of Akt1 and Akt2 in regulating cell migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. J. Cell Biol. 19 Dec 2005 (doi:10.1083/jcb.200505087)

Download references

Authors
  1. Sharon Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ahmad, S. Pathway paradox. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 7, 4–5 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm1848

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm1848

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing