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. 2025 May;35(5):361-363.
doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2025.04.002. Epub 2025 Apr 16.

New job for an old tool: PI3Kβ phosphorylates OGT to regulate acetyl-CoA in glioblastoma

Riley G Young  1 , Nusaiba N Ahmed  1 , Mauricio J Reginato  2
Affiliations

New job for an old tool: PI3Kβ phosphorylates OGT to regulate acetyl-CoA in glioblastoma

Riley G Young et al. Trends Cell Biol. 2025 May.

Abstract

Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta (PI3Kβ) is recognized for its role in cellular signaling as a lipid kinase. He and colleagues recently reported a non-canonical function of PI3Kβ where, under high glucose, it phosphorylates and activates O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). This activation enhances ATP-citrate synthase (ACLY) O-GlcNAcylation, increasing acetyl-CoA production, fueling fatty acid metabolism and histone acetylation, and driving glioblastoma (GBM) growth.

Keywords: ACLY; HK1; O-GlcNAc transferase; PI3Kβ; acetyl-CoA; acetylation; glioblastoma; kinase.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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