Round and round we go: phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) in cataplerosis, mitochondrial, and kidney health.

Abstract

The kidneys require high levels of adenosine triphosphate production, rendering them particularly vulnerable to conditions that perturb mitochondrial function. A deficiency in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, a pivotal enzyme in central carbon metabolism, increases susceptibility to kidney injury, highlighting its importance in kidney health. Given phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1's central metabolic location in gluconeogenic and tricarboxylic acid cycle flux pathways, isolating the mechanism by which phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 protection occurs remains complex. A recent study, however, claims that its role in cataplerosis may be the key.