In cancer cells, Ser39 phosphorylation by protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) protects vimentin from proteolysis and enhances tumor growth and metastasis [69] by altering filament assembly [63], which regulates cortex plasticity and could underlie the fact that cancer cells are overall softer than non-cancer cells [70]. The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is neoplasm.