Impact of Cancer-Associated PKM2 Mutations on Enzyme Activity and Allosteric Regulation: Structural and Functional Insights into Metabolic Reprogramming

Mammalian pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a key regulator of glycolysis and is highly expressed in proliferative tissues including tumors. Mutations in PKM2 have been identified in various cancers, but their effects on enzyme activity and regulation are not fully understood. This study investigates the structural and functional effects of cancer-associated PKM2 mutations on enzyme kinetics, allosteric regulation, and oligomerization. Using computational modeling, X-ray crystallography, and biochemical assays, we demonstrated how these mutations impact PKM2 activity, substrate binding, and allosteric activation via fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), contributing to altered enzyme function. In this study, we characterized four cancer-associated PKM2 mutations (P403A, C474S, R516C, and L144P) using computational, structural, and biochemical approaches. Computational modeling revealed disruptions in allosteric signaling pathways, particularly affecting the communication between regulatory sites and the active site. X-ray crystallography demonstrated local conformational changes in the hinge and FBP-binding regions, leading to a shift from the active tetrameric state to a less active dimeric state, particularly in the C474S and R516C mutants. The mutants exhibited reduced maximal velocity, reduced substrate affinity, and altered activation by the allosteric activator fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). Under alkaline pH conditions, mimicking the tumor microenvironment, these mutations further destabilized the PKM2 oligomeric state, favoring the formation of lower-order species. Our findings suggest that PKM2 is highly sensitive to mutations, and these alterations may contribute to metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells by impairing its enzymatic regulation.