TKTL1

The basic components ribose-5-phosphate and acetyl-CoA, which are formed by TKTL1, provide essential building blocks for the formation of new cells. TKTL1 controls the cell cycle and enables its execution by providing ribose, the building block necessary for DNA synthesis. Hypoxia TKTL1 also allows survival in the absence of oxygen (hypoxia). This protective program is triggered, for example, in the event of a ruptured blood vessel and a resulting oxygen deficiency. TKTL1 controls this hypoxia program, which allows cell survival in the absence of oxygen by fermenting glucose into lactic acid. The acid formed allows acid-based matrix degradation and tissue remodeling as well as inhibition of immune cells that eliminate tumor cells. At the same time, TKTL1 and lactic acid control new blood vessel formation, which restores the supply of oxygen to healthy tissue or a tumor. Both the proliferation rate and the ability to spread throughout the body and form metastases depend on TKTL1. Furthermore, TKTL1 also mediates protection of cancer cells from attack by the body's immune system, for example, by blocking killer cells via lactic acid formed (acid arrest), thus preventing them from reaching and killing cancer cells. A single nucleotide difference in the gene from archaic humans, including Neanderthals and Denisovans, and apes, is involved in neurodevelopment and may have resulted in humans possessing greater cognitive abilities. The "archaic" allele is present in 0.03% of all Homo sapiens, and yet no associated deficiencies are known in these carriers. However, Pääbo et al. in fact caution against this interpretation, conceding in a reply to a comment that the implications for the adult brain, let alone behavior, are unknown. They concur with Herai et al. that "any attempt to discuss prefrontal cortex and cognitive advantage of modern humans over Neandertals based on TKTL1 alone is problematic". Additionally, Herai et al. contend that "more is not always better": increased neuron production can lead to "an abnormally enlarged cortex and layer-specific imbalances in glia/neuron ratios and neuronal subpopulations during neurodevelopment". When researching differences in gene expressions in the brains of domesticated and wild animals in 2012, Svante Pääbo also came across the TKTL1 gene. The researchers discovered that TKTL1 is the gene with the most significant difference in expression between domesticated dogs and wild wolves: activation of the gene is 47-fold higher in dogs than in wolves. == Evolution ==

TKTL1 is a gene that arose from the transketolase gene of lower vertebrates by gene duplication in the course of vertebrate evolution and underwent crucial changes during their evolution. It is found only in mammals. Up to now, it is or was assumed that transketolases are enzymes that are active as homodimers. The detection of TKTL1-TKT heterodimers and the accompanying altered enzyme properties are of greatest importance to mammals because the altered enzyme properties trigger the formation of new cells by increasing the production of ribose, and thus significantly increasing the concentration of ribose in the cell. Since the sugar ribose and the deoxy-ribose formed from it are the crucial building block for DNA and RNA, the formation of the TKTL1-TKT heterodimer leads to the formation of the necessary sugar building block to create new DNA and RNA for the duplication of cells. TKTL1 controls the duplication of cells (cell cycle) and ensures that sufficient building blocks are present for cell duplication. In addition to the formation of the sugar building block ribose, TKTL1 is able to form acetyl-CoA, another crucial building block for new cells. Acetyl-CoA is the basic building block for the formation of energy-rich compounds such as fatty acids, ketone bodies or cholesterol. The TKTL1 enabled formation of acetyl-CoA represents a previously unknown pathway for the formation of acetyl-CoA. This pathway makes it possible to form acetyl-CoA even when acetyl-CoA formation, which runs via pyruvate dehydrogenase, is switched off. In contrast to pyruvate dehydrogenase-mediated acetyl-CoA formation, no decarboxylation is carried out with the help of TKTL1, so that the conversion of sugar to fat is possible without the loss of carbon atoms. This allows a cell to form acetyl-CoA much more effectively in order to form new cellular material such as cell membranes. == Detection methods ==

Currently, three lab methods exist for the detection of TKTL1. These are the direct determination of TKTL1 from blood, the immunohistochemical examination of tumor tissue for risk assessment, which is currently offered exclusively in the Bad Berka pathology department in Germany, and the measurement of TKTL1 in macrophages using EDIM technology, which is applied in the combined TKTL1 and DNaseX (Apo10) detection of PanTum Detect blood test. == Clinical significance ==

Cancer TKTL1 protein was first detected in healthy cells and in tumor cells by immunohistochemistry in 2005. Shortly thereafter, TKTL1 protein was shown to be increased in tumors compared to healthy tissue, and it identified patients with colorectal cancer and bladder cancer who showed faster mortality. identifying the clinical significance of TKTL1 expression in early tumor stages. The study was able to show that apparently quite benign tumors (stage T1) which led to the death of renal cancer patients after a short time were detected by TKTL1. The clinical significance of TKTL1 as a marker in tumors for faster death (poor prognosis) of cancer patients has been demonstrated in a large number of studies. Studies in chronological order: 2006 – bladder and colon cancer, 2009 – pediatric anaplastic nephroblastoma, 2011 – rectal cancer, 2013 – oral cavity carcinoma, 2015 – esophageal cancer, 2015 – gastric cancer, 2018 – lung cancer, 2019 – HPV infected cervix, 2019 – ovarian cancer, 2020 – colorectal cancer, 2021 – liver cancer, Cancer diagnostics Since all forms of cancer benefit from TKTL1-mediated malignancy factors, such as increased proliferation, oxygen-independent growth, invasiveness/metastasis and suppression of the immune system, detection of the TKTL1 protein affords the opportunity to detect cancer or premalignant lesions (precancerous lesions) using a blood sample. Detection of TKTL1 and another protein (DNaseX/Apo10) in blood scavenger cells can be used to detect colorectal cancer, bile duct cancer and pancreatic cancer very well and more effectively than with conventional test methods (tumor markers). Detection of TKTL1 and another protein (DNaseX/Apo10) in blood scavenger cells provide a sensitive and specific evidence of the presence of rhabdomyosarcoma and neuroblastoma. Other diseases The importance is currently being researched, including its association with: • Radical formation, DNA damage and premature aging • Male fertility == References ==