PDK1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: As a consequence, a decrease of the pyruvate oxidation occurs in the mitochondrial matrix, which may also contribute to the decrease of pyruvate transport, by a specific carrier, into the mitochondrial matrix [26], the increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK-1) activity [27,28] and, at least in HCC, the overexpression of pyruvic dehydrogenase E1α (PDH-E1α) [29].