title: Inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase and cancer.
abstract: Recent research has yielded a dramatic increase in the number of connections between oncogenesis and the proteins which regulate the cell cycle. Three classes of protein which inhibit the activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have emerged as potential targets for oncogenic inactivation. p16 and related proteins inhibit the cyclin/CDK complexes which regulate the transition from G1 to S phase; numerous studies have revealed that p16 is mutated in most tumor cell lines and in some types of primary tumor. p21/WAF1/Cip 1 and the related p27Kip protein inhibit a broader range of cyclin/CDK complexes than p16. Although the absence of p21/WAF1/Cip1 from cyclin/CDK complexes is correlated with cellular transformation, no mutations in this gene have been found in tumors or tumor-derived cell lines. A third class of genes which are potential targets for oncogenic inactivation are the kinases and phosphatases which regulate the activity of cyclin/CDK complexes by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the CDK proteins. Disruption of any of these genes would result in loss of normal regulation of cell growth.
authors.affiliation: L.B. Wallace Tumor Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294-3300, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Biggs
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kraft
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy; D009857:Oncogenes; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases