Germline mutations of the LKB1 (STK11) serine/threonine kinase gene (chromosome 19p13.3) cause Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, which is characterised by hamartomas of the gastrointestinal tract and typical pigmentation. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome carries an overall risk of cancer that may be up to 20 times that of the general population. Here, we report the results of a screen for germline LKB1 mutations b...

Research on the LKB1 tumor suppressor protein mutated in cancer-prone Peutz-Jeghers patients has continued at a feverish pace following exciting developments linking energy metabolism and cancer development. This review summarizes the current state of research on the LKB1 tumor suppressor. The weight of the evidence currently indicates an evolutionary conserved role for the protein in the regul...

BACKGROUND Arsenic (As) is an environmental pollutant that induces numerous pathological effects, including neurodevelopmental disorders. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS We evaluated the role of the LKB1-AMPK pathway in As-induced developmental neurotoxicity using Neuro-2a (N2a) neuroblastoma cells as a model of developing neurons. RESULTS The addition of low concentrations of As (<or= 5 microM) dur...