Since Akt activity is essential for growth factor-induced cell survival, stimulation of glucose consumption in transformed cells [32] and high Runx2 expression associated with pAkt (Serine 473) positive specimens of invasive cancers (Additional file 2: Figure S2C-F), we examined pAkt (Serine 473) levels in Runx2 knockdown cells under serum- and glucose-deprivation. Here, AKT1 is linked to cancer.