When cancer cells grow and divide quickly, they initially do not have as much blood supply, and can thus have hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), and this triggers O-GlcNAcylation at serine 529 of PFK, giving a selective growth advantage to cancer cells.
Cando as células cancerosas crecen e se dividen tan rapidamente, inicialmente non teñen un subministración suficiente de sangue, e poden morrer de hipoxia (falta de oxíxeno), e isto activa a O-GlcNAcilación na serina 529 da PFK-1, o que lles dá unha vantaxe para o crecemento selectiva.