PAK as a therapeutic target in gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Gastric cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. P21-activated kinases (PAKs), regulators of cancer-cell signalling networks, play fundamental roles in a range of cellular processes through their binding partners or kinase substrates.


METHODS
The complex regulation of PAKs through their upstream or downstream effectors in human cancers, especially in gastric cancer, are described and the identified inhibitors of PAKs are summarized.


RESULTS
The structural differences and activation mechanisms between two subgroups of PAK are described. Both groups of PAKs play complicated and important roles in human gastric cancer, which indicated a possible way for us to identify the specific inhibitors targeting PAKs for gastric cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
PAKs play important roles in progression of many cancer types, the full mechanisms of PAKs in gastric cancer are still unclear. It seems there are different roles for two groups of PAKs in cancers. Group I PAKs play their functions mostly through their specific substrates, however, many binding partners that are independent of phosphorylation by group II PAKs were identified. Finding specific inhibitors of PAKs will help us discover the roles of PAKs and target these kinases in human gastric cancer.
Department of Cell Biology, China Medical University, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P. R. China. fli@mail.cmu.edu.cn
Xiaodong
X
Li
Funan
F
Liu
Feng
F
Li
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases