Thus, the balance between PGAM5-mediated dephosphorylation of ME1 S336 and ACAT1-mediated acetylation of K337 strongly influences NADPH generation, lipid metabolism, and the susceptibility to colorectal tumorigenesis.
Impact statement This review examines the role of methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs) in human cancer development, with a particular focus on liver cancers in which all three MAT genes are implicated in tumorigenesis.
Importantly, over-expression of OXCT1 or ACAT1 in human breast cancer cells is sufficient to genetically drive tumorigenesis and/or lung metastasis, validating that they indeed behave as metabolic "tumor promoters".