Cell cycle kinases as therapeutic targets for cancer.
Several families of protein kinases orchestrate the complex events that drive the cell cycle, and their activity is frequently deregulated in hyperproliferative cancer cells. Although several molecules that inhibit cell cycle kinases have been developed and clinically screened as potential anticancer agents, none of these has been approved for commercial use and an effective strategy to specifically control malignant cell proliferation has yet to be established. However, recent genetic and biochemical studies have provided information about the requirement for certain cell cycle kinases by specific tumours and specialized tissue types. Here, we discuss the potential and limitations of established cell cycle kinases as targets in anticancer drug discovery as well as novel strategies for the design of new agents.
Lapenna
Silvia
S
Oncology Research Centre of Mercogliano, Mercogliano, Avellino, Italy. slapenna@gmail.com
Giordano
Antonio
A
D000818:Animals; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D050717:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p130 / Q000502:physiology; D019311:Staurosporine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
D064127:Aurora Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050717:Retinoblastoma-Like Protein p130; D019311:Staurosporine; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1; C054852:7-hydroxystaurosporine