AKT1 and cancer: Moreover, E6 can activate phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway5 and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)6; over-expression of E6/E7 can increase the level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk1/2) in cancer cell lines7.