Akt2, Active

Akt2 or Protein Kinase B β (PKBβ) is a serine/threonine kinase that is a member of the Akt family. Akt2 like the other Akt members is activated in cells in response to diverse stimuli such as hormones, growth factors and extracellular matrix components and is involved in glucose metabolism, transcription, survival, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and cell motility (1). The PI3K generates phosphatidylinositol-3, 4, 5-trisphosphate (PIP3), a lipid second messenger essential for the translocation of Akt2 to the plasma membrane where it is phosphorylated and activated by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK-1) (2) and phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-2. Akt1 has numerous cellular substrates including proteins, which promote the inhibition of apoptosis such as the Forkhead transcription factors and the Bcl-2 family member Bad (3).