PRKAA1 and cancer: It is reported that p38 activates PGC-1α, and AMPK is known to activate p38 under chronic energy deprivation.23–27 Thus, to investigate whether AMPK can activate p38 in cancer cells, we checked levels of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) in H1299-EV, H1299-DN, WT-MEFs and AMPK-DKO cells grown under glucose-limiting conditions.