PANK1 (pantothenate kinase 1) catalyzes the phosphorylation of pantothenate (vitamin B5) to 4'-phosphopantothenate, initiating the rate-limiting step of coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis 1. This catalytic function is essential for cellular processes including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid synthesis, histone acetylation, and fuel oxidation in cardiac tissue 12. PANK1 expression is transcriptionally regulated by p53 in response to DNA damage and metabolic stress, linking CoA synthesis to tumor suppression and energy homeostasis 34. p53 activation of PANK1 also drives production of miRNA-107, which suppresses cell cycle regulators CDK6 and p130 3. Clinically, PANK1 has diverse disease relevance. SGLT2 inhibitors directly activate PANK1 to promote CoA synthesis and improve cardiac contractility in heart failure patients, explaining their therapeutic benefits 2. In glioma, PANK1 expression is downregulated and independently predicts prognosis, with high expression correlating with better outcomes 5. Conversely, a circular RNA derived from PANK1 (circ-Pank1) is elevated in Parkinson's disease models and promotes neurodegeneration through the miR-7a-5p/α-synuclein pathway 6. Genetic variants in PANK1 associate with asthma exacerbations and regulate local gene expression and DNA methylation 6. Mutations in PANK1 cause neurometabolic diseases including pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) 1.