Pyruvate kinase M2 and cancer: an updated assessment

Cancer cells are characterized by high glycolytic rates to support energy regeneration and anabolic metabolism, along with the expression of pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2 (PKM2). The latter catalyzes the last step of glycolysis and reprograms the glycolytic flux to feed the special metabolic demands of proliferating cells. Besides, PKM2 has moonlight functions, such as gene transcription, favoring cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests a critical role played by the low-activity-dimeric PKM2 in tumor progression, supported by the identification of mutations which result in the down-regulation of its activity and tumorigenesis in a nude mouse model. This review discusses PKM2 regulation and the benefits it confers to cancer cells. Further, conflicting views on PKM2's role in cancer, its therapeutic relevance and future directions in the field are also discussed.