(2S)-2-[[5-amino-1-[(2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-(phosphonooxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]imidazole-4-carbonyl]amino]butanedioic acid

SAICAR accumulation induces nuclear localization of PKM2. PKM2-SAICAR phosphorylates and activates Erk1/2, which in turn sensitizes PKM2 for SAICAR binding through phosphorylation. Additionally, PKM2-SAICAR was necessary to induce sustained Erk1/2 activation and mitogen-induced cell proliferation. SAICAR-PKM2 interaction is necessary and sufficient to induce H3 T11 and Erk1/2 phosphorylation.
Upon glucose starvation, cellular SAICAR concentration increases in an oscillatory manner and stimulates PKM2 activity in cancer cells. The SAICAR-PKM2 interaction also promotes cancer cell survival in glucose-limited conditions. In glucose-limited conditions, cells with higher SAICAR concentrations ( adsl-kd cells or cells overexpressing PAICS) survive better while paics-kd cells died earlier than control-kd cells. SAICAR promotes cancer cell survival in glucose-limited conditions.