Cooperative activation of PDK1 and AKT by MAPK4 enhances cancer growth and resistance to therapy

This study shows that besides activating AKT, MAPK4 promotes PDK1 protein synthesis and thus also activates PDK1 substrates beyond AKT to promote cancer. Co-targeting AKT and PDK1 can therefore repress MAPK4-induced cancer cell growth, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy to treat MAPK4-high cancers, including a large subset of "triple negative" breast cancer.