Although this relatively short course of treatment did not induce an appreciable decrease in tumour growth rate (Fig. 4a), the expression of phosphorylated (Thr-172) AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and phosphorylated (S-293) PDH (pyruvate dehydrogenase) subunit A1 both increased in treated tumours (Fig. 4b, c), indicating activation of the AMPK metabolic stress sensor and downregulation of TCA cycle flux by PDH complex inhibition, respectively [28]. This evidence concerns the gene PDP1 and neoplasm.