AKT as locus of fragility in robust cancer system

AbstractMetastatic cancer is a complex positive feedback loop system. Such as system has a tendency to acquire extreme robustness. Signaling pathways controlling that robustness can fail completely if an essential element from the signaling is removed. That element is a locus of fragility. Targeting that locus represents the best way to target the cancer robustness. This prospect presents another locus of fragility in signaling complex system network, controlling the cell cycle progression through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/RAN pathway and cell migration and angiogenesis through the VEGF/PI3K/AKT/NO/ICAM‐1 pathway. The locus of fragility of these pathways is AKT, which is regulated by a balance of catalase/H2O2 or by AKT inhibitor. Tiny and trivial perturbations such as change in redox state in the cells by antioxidant enzyme catalase, scavenging H2O2 signaling molecule, regulates robust signaling molecule AKT, abolishing its phosporilation and inducing cascading failure of robust signaling pathways for cell growth, proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. An anticancer effect of the antioxidant is achieved through the AKT locus, by abolishing signals from growth factors VEGF, HGF, HIF‐1