There's something about ILK.
OBJECTIVE
Integrin-Linked Kinase (ILK) is associated with integrin and growth factor receptor signalling. As both signalling pathways contribute to cancer cell resistance, ILK seems well suited as a promising tumour target.


METHODS
Data were obtained by performing a PubMed database search and summarised with a focus on the function of ILK in cancer biology.


RESULTS
The findings on the catalytic function of ILK, on the putative substrates of ILK and on the expression of ILK in tumour and normal tissues are heterogeneous. In the context of cancer, two of these issues might be of importance. First, a variety of reports indicate a lack of ILK overexpression in tumours. Second, wild-type or overexpression of ILK has been found to considerably sensitise tumour cells to ionising irradiation as compared to ILK knockout or ILK knockdown conditions. In contrast, wild-type or overexpression of ILK has been shown to protect tumour cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to these conflicting data, it is difficult to evaluate if therapeutic targeting of ILK is a reasonable strategy in cancer therapy. A more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlled by ILK may help to answer this question.
Eke
Iris
I
OncoRay-Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty Carl-Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany.
Hehlgans
Stephanie
S
Cordes
Nils
N
D000818:Animals; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK
D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK